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Anil Kumble Stars in Ad for World's Largest Animal Rights Group

For Immediate Release:

June 23, 2000

Contact:

Jason Baker 020 8870 3966, ext. 224

London. –– People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will shoot a new vegetarian ad featuring international cricket star Anil Kumble in cricket whites and holding a bat that reads "Go Veg". The ad will be shot at Lords, the world-renowned cricket ground. Media are invited to attend.

Time: 11:30 am sharp

Date: 23 June 2000

Place: Lords, Grace Gate, St John’s Wood

The Indian international and Leicestershire county cricketer was moved when he learned about the plight of animals raised for food in India and called PETA to find out how he could help. He hopes this ad will encourage others to recognize the benefits of a vegetarian diet.

"Vegetarianism saves animals’ lives and can’t be beat for maintaining a muscular body and building endurance", says Kumble. "Vegetarian food contains all the vitamins and protein you need to be at your best and is free of all the fat, cholesterol and toxins found in meat ".

Vegetarianism is the diet of many celebrities, including Sir Paul McCartney, Kim Basinger, Martina Navratilova, Amitabh Bachchan, Bryan Adams, Pamela Anderson, Mahima Chowdhery, Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone, Juhi Chawla and Natalie Portman.

PETA, with nearly 700,000 members worldwide, opened its first-ever Indian campaign office in January with the goal of combining traditional Indian ideals, like vegetarianism, with Western star power and a youth-oriented campaigning style. For a copy of the photos, please visit ftp://63.89.54.155/