Nona Uppal- On a random day in the middle of a McDonald’s queue, I decided to go vegetarian- after years of toying with that idea. 3 years later, I completed the final journey towards going plant-based

“For as long as I remember, I have had an undying affection for animals. I was that annoying kid on the school bus who would point out “Look, there’s a dog”, every single time I spotted one. With the number of strays in New Delhi, you can imagine that that happened a lot. My love for animals also coincided with my professional aspirations. Often, I was asked, what I would do if I were to suddenly have a lot of money at my disposal. Unflinchingly, I would say, “I want to open a farm for abandoned animals”. There was no doubt in my head that I loved animals. “Why am I eating them, then?” is a question that began popping in my head as I started growing up.

I could not love animals in one breath and eat them in another. It did not make sense to me or make me feel like myself any longer. On a random day in the middle of a McDonald’s queue, I decided to go vegetarian- after years of toying with that idea. 3 years later, I completed the final journey towards going plant-based after giving up all dairy products.

Morbidly enough, this sudden lifestyle change coincided with the pandemic, and I could dive deep into my dreams of being plant-based, without fearing any judgement. I was simply not going to be having meals with anyone anytime soon. It has been over 7 months since I’ve consciously eliminated every dairy and meat product from my life. To say that this has been the most fulfilling change I have introduced in my life is an understatement.

Going plant-based opened a window to a part of myself I did not know existed. Suddenly, all I saw around me was the layers of inequality that were blanketed by our sense of ‘normal’. One day, I looked up on the internet the ethicality practices of my favourite make-up and apparel companies. In addition to not being cruelty free, a majority of them were involved in unfair trade practices and human rights violations towards their workers.

Identifying and acting upon the injustice, made me realise my own capacity to change and resist the ‘easy’ path. These small changes have led me to realise my larger mission in life.” said Nona Uppal