OK Tata to Vegan Tata

Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata was born on March 3, 1839, in Navsari, Gujarat, and had his early education in the same city. When he turned 13, at the behest of his father Nusserwanji, he went to Bombay (Mumbai) to complete his education. He then founded the Tata Group as a private trading firm in 1868. Which is currently known as 29 publicly listed companies with a market capitalization of Rs 24 trillion i.e. Rs 24 lakh crore.

Tata has been the most iconic brand in India since independence or even before, they produce almost everything, from salt to software. Also, it operates one of the big superstores chains in India. But it is not a vegetarian superstore like its rival 'Reliance Superstore', which operates across the country. The point to be seen here is that Tata is the company that has realized the growing vegan market in India. It's investing heavily in its vegan food products, whether it's plant-based meats or burgers. Apart from this, they have also launched vegan silk sarees. Their online delivery app Big Basket has a special vegan section and they support small vegan businesses by listing new products.

I had the privilege of witnessing the achievements of the Tata Group from close quarters during my visits to Pune (Maharashtra) and Jamshedpur* (Jharkhand). Next to the Tata factory, they have created everything from parks to lakes. This is very unusual for a factory that produces trucks and cars, I was intrigued and went through their history. For them, social concern is as important as the product. J.R.D. Tata once said, "We didn't need to create lakes and plant trees to make trucks. But we did. The thing I'm most proud of is not making steel or trucks, but our social contribution."

*In 1919, Lord Chelmsford renamed the city of Sakchi into Jamshedpur in honor of Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group. Lord Chelmsford was the Viceroy and Governor General of British India from 1916 to 1921.

 ☘️ Vegan Sudesh

 (Prof. Sudesh Kumar)




Vegan Makar Sankranti

India is known for its seasonal festivals like Makar Sankranti, a beautiful festival that marks the entry of the Sun into Capricorn.  Here, I am giving you some vegan ideas so that you can enjoy it in better ways. The purpose of my article is to show how we can all better balance our age-old traditions with ethical choices.



What is Makar Sankranti?


The Hindu calendar believes that Makar Sankranti falling in the month of Pausha has special significance.  When the Sun enters Capricorn, it is called Makar Sankranti.  There is an auspicious period of eight hours before and eight hours after the time of Sankranti.


Makar Sankranti and Veganism -


Being vegan and celebrating Makar Sankranti does not mean compromising with customs.  Instead, it is about reviewing them.  By adopting eco-friendly habits and a plant-based diet, we honor our festivals and our ethical choices, which make us much happier and live longer.


Vegan Recipes for Makar Sankranti 


Converting traditional recipes to vegan recipes is easier than you think.  Be it sesame laddus made with jaggery or something else, the possibilities are endless.  Try to include seasonal fruits, nuts, and grains in your Makar Sankranti recipes.  From chikki (peanut brittle) to dairy-free kheer, make your festival even more fun.  Solstice's menu is mostly already vegan.  Poha and Tilkut laddus, sesame, and jaggery sweets are naturally vegan!


Charity, Hinduism, and cruelty-free lifestyle:


Help those in need by donating your time and resources to make a difference in your community.  You can join our foundation for easy and safe options for this.  As per the custom, avoid flying kites in large numbers or do it in such a way that no flying bird gets killed, think not once but ten times, why should innocent birds pay the price by giving their lives for our happiness? Let's adopt a cruelty-free lifestyle this Makar Sankranti.


This article is written by Prof. Sudesh Kumar, founder of @veganmumbai.

What's Speciesism? Y do we need to stop it?

Have you ever wondered why people have tears in their eyes when they hear about the cruelty done to their pet dog, but why do they not feel the same after eating a chicken's leg? The reason is "speciesism", which means people believe that different species of animals are on earth for human use and can be used for human benefit in whatever way possible without caring about the suffering it generates.



Animals also experience pain and suffering like us so we should not treat them like inanimate objects. They should not be addressed as objects but as living beings. But knowingly or unknowingly, parents, teachers, doctors, media, and our society give wrong cultural qualities to children. For example, if you look at the upbringing of children, you will often see that in many homes, even while chopping or cooking chickens, goats, or fish, the mother teaches the children not to fight or hurt anyone outside the house.

Stopping speciesism means changing our perspective and changing the mindset of those who eat animals and exploit them for human benefit. It is also a pledge to avoid the use of animal products and adopt a vegan lifestyle. When we start seeing other species as sentient beings like humans, we'll be able to stop exploiting them.

- Vegan Sudesh