The new face for PETA's pro-vegetarian campaign is the World's Oldest New Dad!

Holding his new baby boy, 96-year-old Ramajit Raghav – who, on 5 October, broke his own record as Guinness World Records' World's Oldest New Dad – stars in a brand-new ad campaign for PETA. Shot by photographer Gaurav Sharma, the new ad shows Raghav and his son Ranjit next to the words "Vegetarians Still Got It at Age 96". PETA plans to post the new campaign near fertility clinics around the world.

Says Raghav, "I have been a vegetarian all my life, and I credit my stamina and virility to my diet of vegetables and grains. Being a vegetarian is the secret to my strength and good health". Check out what he has to say!

What makes vegetarians so healthy? For starters, meat clogs arteries and slows blood flow to all the major organs – not just the heart. Vegetarians are, on average, fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are. They're also less likely to be afflicted with heart disease, diabetes and cancer – all of which are major health problems in India. And since each vegetarian saves the lives of many animals a year, their consciences are lighter, too.

Want to live long? Take the pledge to go meat-free today.

The competition was fierce in PETA India's annual Hottest Vegetarian Next Door contest, but after tallying the votes (thanks to all who voted!) and weeding through the top picks, we've selected the winners. Without further ado, we're proud to crown Vikramajeet Singh and Amrita Chaturvedi as the Hottest Vegetarians Next Door of 2012 (insert a round of applause here)! They both, incidentally, hail from Lucknow.

Vikramajeet, the male winner, feels that "vegetarianism is the only answer to the colossal problems of population growth and world hunger".

And the female winner, Amrita, says, "A vegetarian lifestyle helps maintain a balanced ecosystem and save species from extinction".

We think it's safe to say that these neighbours can borrow a cup of sugar (or tofu) any time they want. 

Both winners will receive a sash, a trophy and, most importantly – bragging rights. And who wouldn't want to brag about following a plant-based diet, which decreases the risk of cancer, heart disease and obesity; shrinks your carbon footprint and spares the lives of many animals a year?! So how about going vegetarian yourself? Getting started is as easy as checking out these hot dishes and helping yourself to this hot read. Who knows? You might even be inspired to enter the contest next year …

What's up, people? Have you been thinking about going vegan? Why not take a pledge to do just that this Navratri? Not only will you be helping animals by doing so, you'll also have more energy to dance through the night. petaDishoom is here to help, and we've put together a nine-day plan for going vegan for you and your friends who are not yet vegan. All you have to do is follow these simple steps:

Day 1: What's wrong with milk?
Watch this video to learn what happens to animals used for their milk.

Day 2: What's wrong with eggs?
Eggs are about as vegetarian as chicken tikka or a mutton burger (in other words, not vegetarian at all!). If someone told you that eggs were vegetarian, maybe you should ask if they also think the world is flat. Male chicks are killed shortly after birth because they can't produce eggs and are too small to be profitably raised and killed for their flesh – and that's definitely not vegetarian!

Day 3: Don't wear a cow!
Leather is not a fabric; it is the stolen skin of an animal who was killed. There are so many cool non-leather styles available that wearing an animal's skin is definitely uncool! Check out what Pamela Anderson has to say about the cruel skins trade.

Day 4: Are you ready to take the challenge?
If you haven't already, try soya milk and delicious sorbets and petha! They're all vegan! Believe me: going vegan is the best thing that you can do for yourself, animals and the planet.

Day 5: Make a vegan meal.
Most of the food that you get during Navratri is vegan anyway, but if you want to make something special from our recipes database, please do – and don't forget to let us know how the dish turned out.

Day 6: Take a close look at your cosmetics.
You may be surprised to find out that thousands of animals might be poisoned and killed for your favourite brand of lipstick or shampoo. Browse through the list of companies that do and don't test on animals and pledge to use only cruelty-free cosmetics.

Day 7: Silk is cruel.
Even small animals matter. To produce just 100 grams of silk, approximately 1,500 silkworms are killed. If you had ever visited a silk production farm, you'd never want to wear a silk sari or a silk dhoti again. Use faux silk or other non-animal materials instead.

Day 8: Still not convinced?
If you're still not convinced that going vegan is the right thing to do, just watch this.

Day 9: Vegan Day!
We hope you agree that with these tips, you can be vegan by the last day of Navratri and help others go vegan, too. Talk to at least two people about going vegan and become a true superhero for animals!

Happy Navratri!

… Namrata Thole, a student at Sophia Polytechnic, Textile Design Institute, Mumbai! Congratulations, Namrata!

The stunning lettuce-leaf dress that Namrata designed will be worn by beauty queen Puja Gupta – star of the movie F.A.L.T.U. – in an upcoming vegetarian ad for PETA.

Namrata's name will also appear on the ad, and she'll receive her very own certificate from PETA.

Many other design students submitted stylish dress designs. After reviewing all the entries, PETA chose the 10 most beautiful gowns and asked our supporters for help with picking the winner. It was a close call, with all those stunning designs, but Namrata, who clearly has a promising design career ahead of her, was chosen as the winner.

Here's Namrata's design:

Stay tuned to see the final ad!

Many other stars, including Lara Dutta, Dr Aditi Gowitrikar and Pamela Anderson, have donned outfits made of lettuce leaves in order to encourage people to turn over a new leaf and go vegetarian. If you think they look good enough to eat, just check out our healthy vegetarian recipes and fix yourself some tasty plant-based meals.

Anna Hazare is credited with sparking a Gandhi cap revival, with many of the caps reading, "I am Anna Hazare". Since the movement began, sales of the Gandhi cap have soared, and many vendors have run out of stock.

As Mumbai gets ready to welcome the anti-corruption crusader, PETA India is offering you the opportunity to win your very own unique Gandhi cap emblazoned with the words "I Am Vegetarian". Anna Hazare advocates non-violence and demonstrates this principle through not only his campaigns but also his vegetarian diet. We hope our caps will be worn proudly by his vegetarian followers so that others might also be encouraged to be kind, not cruel, each time they sit down to eat.

If you support Anna, how about practicing non-violence every time you sit down to eat? Want to win one of these caps? Then just tell us where you will show it off! The 20 people deemed by PETA to have the most interesting answers will be named the winners of the contest.

The contest is open until 10 January 2012. The winners will be notified via e-mail on 11 January. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. By commenting, you are agreeing to our privacy policy and terms and conditions.

Vegetarianism is not only healthy and kind to animals but also always in vogue! That's why the list of vegetarian celebrities from around the globe just grows and grows. The latest star to go vegetarian and to team up with PETA to speak up for animals is the ultra-sexy actor from Pakistan Veena Malik. Check out her new ad for PETA:

What was the reason behind her compassionate move?

"Going vegetarian is one of the smartest decisions I've ever made", says Malik, who won her first Lux Style Award in 2007 for being the most stylish celebrity on the red carpet. "I feel better, I'm healthier and I have the satisfaction of knowing that my food choices also help protect animals and the environment."

Thank you, Veena! Your decision to kick the meat habit not only will save lives but also is a gift to Mother Earth. A recent United Nations report concluded that a global shift towards a meat-free diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

Veena was recently in Mumbai to unveil her ad with PETA at the Priyadarshini Park and Sports Complex in Malabar Hill. As you can imagine, she was swarmed by media outlets.

Go on – be a part of the growing number of people who refuse to tolerate cruelty to animals and go vegetarian!

"Rev Your Engines – Go Vegan." Yes, lucky Delhiites were greeted by two stunning PETA members wearing sexy green pit-crew outfits standing next to a race car in the lead-up to the Formula 1 race weekend and Grand Prix.

The pit princesses' point? That the best thing that racing drivers and enthusiasts can do if they want to get up to speed is jettison meat and dairy products from their diet and go vegan.

Quick – put the pedal to the medal and the best racing fuel in your tanks by going vegan! Shifting away from unhealthy meat and dairy products helps protect the environment, saves animals' lives and helps keep our bodies running at peak performance. So what are you waiting for?

P.S. If you were wondering how we managed to get this awesome race car for our demonstration, the credit goes to the students of National School of Information Technology in Dwarka. They designed the car themselves! We would also like to thank ace photographer Mukesh Khugsal for taking photos.

Oye! Chak ditte phattey!

PETA supporter Fauja Singh ran into the record books on Sunday when he finished the Toronto Marathon. At 100 years old, he became the oldest person ever to complete such a race. The "Turbaned Torpedo" credits his vegetarian diet, among other factors, with giving him the powerful stamina that propelled him into the Guinness World Records. This may be the best inspiration ever to get us off the couch and into some running shoes and is also living proof of why it's never too late to incorporate healthy, plant-based foods into your diet.

Even if you don't plan to break any world records, a plant-based diet is a veritable fountain of youth: Vegetarians and vegans live an average of six to 10 years longer than meat-eaters do.

To follow in Singh's footsteps, take the pledge to go meat-free today and urge others you know – of all ages – to do the same.

The late Steve Jobs may have been known for his signature black turtleneck, but it is for his green diet that he probably will be most fondly remembered by people who care about animals. The Apple cofounder, who died today, was a vegetarian  and a longtime health advocate who reportedly once handed out containers of carrot juice at Halloween.

We remember Jobs for so many innovative ideas, including Apple's iPhoto facial recognition software, which recognizes the faces of cats in addition to those of humans, reflecting the importance of companion animals in our homes and hearts. PETA US also recently recognized Jobs for what he didn't do: He refused to sell a gruesome app on Apple's app store called iSealClub—which involved, as the name suggests, bashing cartoon seals over the head with clubs.

Let's also not forget that Jobs' Pixar film studio created heartwarming and thought-provoking movies about unlikely animal heroes, such as A Bug's Life and Finding Nemo, and he ended Disney's 10-year agreement with McDonald's to promote its films with movie-themed toys in Happy Meals after the entertainment giant merged with Pixar. As the vegetarian sharks in Finding Nemo said, "Fish are friends, not food." Finding Nemo's fish-friendly theme earned Pixar an award  from PETA US, as did Jobs' many accomplishments that changed animals' lives for the better. And if his movies or his lifestyle inspired even one person to become a vegetarian, he no doubt saved hundreds of animals' lives, and for that we thank him.

 "Non-violence begins at your dinner plate" – that was the message that PETA India's Lettuce Lady gave to Pune's residents on World Peace Day. Check out these awesome pictures from our latest demonstration in the city of Pune, where our Lettuce Lady looked stunning in her tube dress made entirely of purple cabbage leaves and accessorised with peas.

Wondering how veganism equals peace?

In today's meat and dairy industries, chickens have their throats cut while they're still conscious, fish are suffocated or cut open while they're still alive on the decks of fishing boats and calves are taken away from their mothers within hours of birth.

Let's go vegan and send a strong message to an industry that thrives on violence and bloodshed.

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How cool would it be to have a pro-vegetarian postage stamp in India, which, by the way, is considered to be the birthplace of vegetarianism? PETA India has sent an application to the philately division of the Department of Posts urging the agency to issue a national stamp honouring the country's strong vegetarian heritage just in time for World Vegetarian Day (Oct 1), Gandhi Jayanti and Vegetarian Awareness Month (October).

India has the highest population of vegetarians of any country in the world. In a letter accompanying the application for the proposed postage stamp, we have reminded the government that adopting a vegetarian diet is the best way to protect one's health, animals and the environment.

The lady behind our vegan campaigns, Bhuvaneshwari Gupta, who also happens be a nutritionist, says, "This stamp would remind people every day that they can help stop animal abuse, slow the production of gases that cause climate change and keep themselves fit and trim by simply going vegetarian".

So, how many of you give this idea your stamp of approval? Let us know by commenting here!

As soon as we found out that the Mumbai High Court has asked Maharashtra state to justify why it mainly serves only vegetarian food in prisons in response to the complaints of a few meat-addict inmates, we fired off a letter to Justices Desai and Ketkar explaining why prisons should be meat-free zones. Currently, Arthur Road prison is sending a positive message against violence by serving vegetarian food on most days of the year. Introducing meat would be taking a huge step backwards.

In this letter written by our nutritionist and campaign coordinator, Bhuvaneshwari Gupta, PETA India makes the compelling case that by feeding prisoners exclusively vegetarian food, the recidivism rate could be reduced, taxpayers would be saving money and prisons and prisoners would both benefit. Prisons are the last place that we should be encouraging violence, and meat involves extreme cruelty and killing. The most advantageous thing about a vegetarian diet is that it encourages compassion. Prisons around the world have successfully reduced violence with a regimen that includes vegetarian or vegan meals.

Besides inculcating compassion, a vegetarian diet is light on the pockets of the taxpayers of India, whose money goes towards funding our prisons. Beans, rice, lentils, nuts, fruit, potatoes, and vegetables contain all the nutrients a person needs but often cost a fraction of the price of meat. Also, a green diet helps keep  the nation’s health-care costs to a minimum, as vegetarians are less likely to develop heart disease, obesity, cancer, strokes, and diabetes than those who consume animal products.

So making prisons meat-free zones would be a win-win situation. Help us convince the deciding authorities to choose kindness by allowing only vegetarian food to be served to prison inmates. Please write to Justices Desai and Ketkar using the following contact details:

Justice Ranjana P Desai
Chamber 48
Mumbai High Court
Fort
Mumbai 400032

Justice R G Ketkar
Chamber 19
Mumbai High Court
Fort
Mumbai 400032

This Janmashtami, show your love for cows by going milk-free! Why? Because dairy products are detrimental to human health and dairy farms are notorious for their abuse of animals.

To get this message out, PETA India staged a demonstration in Ahmedabad city centre during which activists dressed as Lord Krishna and a cow handed out free samples of healthy and delicious Staeta soya milk. The "cow" held a sign reading "Be Kind to Cows: Go Dairy-Free, Choose Soya".

Campaigner and nutritionist Bhuvaneshwari Gupta says, "Lord Krishna would never approve of the severe cruelty to cows found in today's dairy industry. Consumption of dairy products contributes to the onset of diabetes, obesity and respiratory problems. During Janmashtami – or at any other time – soya milk is not only the smart choice but also the kind choice."

PETA India's investigations have found that cows and buffaloes on dairy factory farms spend most of their days confined to tiny stalls. Many farmers inject the animals with the illegal drug oxytocin, believing that it will boost milk production. Animals injected with oxytocin often suffer from severe stomach cramps that are similar to labour pains. Calves on dairy factory farms are either abandoned or sent to slaughter so that the milk meant for them can be sold to humans.

Take the pledge to help cows by kicking dairy products out of your diet today. 

After a fierce battle on PETAAsiaPacific.com, Shahid Kapoor has won the title of PETA Asia's Sexiest Vegetarian Man for 2011. Singer Faye Wong has been crowned Asia's Sexiest Vegetarian Woman. Among the popular contenders this year were Bollywood film heavyweights Kareena Kapoor and R. Madhavan, model-turned-Hollywood hottie Maggie Q, Mongolian singer Nominjin, Taiwanese actor Blue Lan, Super Girl Jane Zhang, actors Gao Yuanyuan and Barbie Hsu, and songwriter Louis Cheung.

Favorite celebs from outside the continent include actors Natalie Portman, Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia; fighting champion Jake Shields; and singers Anthony Kiedis (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Leona Lewis.

Kapoor, who is looking forward to the release of the much-anticipated film Mausam, says, "Being voted as sexy is a matter of perception, but being vegetarian is a lifestyle change and something that comes from a sense of responsibility." In addition to helping keep your body trim and looking sexy, being vegetarian means you're doing your part for the planet and, of course, for animals!

So what are you waiting for? Pledge to go vegetarian today.

PETA India now has a new ally: Pune Warriors' bowler Murali Kartik. The famous cricketer, who is a staunch vegetarian, agreed to strike a pose for PETA's vegetarian campaign and will be starring in a brand-new PETA ad which will be released soon.

"I'm proud to say that my vegetarian diet provides me with all of the energy and stamina I need as an athlete", said Kartik. "Having been born a vegetarian and then to know that a vegetarian diet is better for animals and the environment, my conscience is in good health as well."

Keep visiting our website to catch the first glimpse of Kartik's awesome new ad which was shot by ace photographer Vicky Idnaani!

So join the vegetarian team and take the pledge to go veg today.

Since Earth Day is around the corner, PETA decided to use the opportunity to try to enlighten Mumbaikars about the environmental havoc that meat production causes. We wrote a letter to the municipal commissioner of Mumbai requesting that he allow us to place ads on the sides of Mumbai's garbage trucks reading, "Meat Trashes the Planet", accompanied by an image of a "meaty" Earth.

  Our letter explains why going vegan is the best thing that we can do for the environment. But don't just take it from us – the UN has determined that raising animals for food is a leading cause of the world's most pressing environmental problems, including land degradation, water shortages and the loss of biodiversity.

A pro-vegan message on garbage trucks could help make city residents aware that the best way to protect their health, animals and the planet from environmental disaster is to stop eating meat.

This is a mock-up of what the ad would look like if the municipal commissioner agrees. Do you think the municipal commissioner should agree to our idea?

Just in time for St Patrick's Day, Mumbaikars got to see one of the greenest and perhaps most unusual sights: PETA activists covered in green body-paint held signs that read, "Eat Green! Go Vegan!" outside the iconic VT station.

Why green? "Eating green" means eating healthy, humane and eco-friendly plant-based foods. Our chief functionary, Poorva Joshipura, says, "Even the 'luck of the Irish' can't save the Earth from the devastating effects of people's meat and milk habits".

Whether it's climate change, the overuse of land resources, massive water and air pollution or soil erosion, meat production is wreaking havoc on the Earth. In fact, a UN report says a global move towards a vegan diet is essential in order to save the world from hunger and the worst effects of climate change.

So what are you waiting for? Take the pledge to go vegan this St Patrick Day and help save our beloved mother Earth.

It is always wonderful to make special treats for your friends and family. There are several cruelty free and healthy vegan options available in the market— you can enjoy yummy motichur ladoo’s, jalebi’s and lip smacking soan papdi!

Although there are vegan sweets available at your local sweet shop, we would want you to make something extra special for your loved ones by making some sweets at home. My mother made delicious khajoor Bharfi this Diwali, and I have stolen her secret family recipe for you all. So make some barfi and courier it to me!

Khajoor Bharfi:
Ingredients:
1.Dates - 1/2 kg (seedless)
2.Almonds – 200gm
3.Cashew nuts - 200 gms
4.Pistachios – 100 gms (unsalted)
5.Green cardamom – 6 (grind the seeds)

Wash the seedless dates and grind them into a paste. Place them on a non stick pan for about 5-10 minutes till the paste becomes dry. Then place the mixture in a plate and add the almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios and ground cardamoms and kneed them well, while the paste is hot. Make thick long rolls and tightly wrap them in cling film. Refrigerate the rolls for an hour, remove cling wrap, cut them and eat or serve.

Our vegan campaigner Himani has also agreed to give away her FREE recipes. You simply need to send her an e-mail at himanis@petaindia.org and please don’t forget to share your recipes with us!

Well if you missed Hug A Vegetarian Day, don’t stress out. We have a simple idea for you to make it happen. You just need a paper and a pen to make a simple “I am vegetarian, hug me” poster.

You’ll be surprised to know that people love hugging vegetarians because vegetarians are healthy, sexy and caring. So go out there and have some fun! Just don’t forget to share your pictures with us because we would want to share some of the pictures we receive with our fans on Facebook and Twitter.

So what are you waiting for? Quickly mail us a few pictures at dishoom@petaindia.org.  

Today I feel like walking down memory lane and sharing some interesting information with you in case you don’t already know: In 2008 Bebo was voted by visitors to PETAIndia.org the Hottest Vegetarian Alive. We suspect Kareena Kapoor’s compassionate diet is part of her secret for her flawless skin and figure. If you're still eating animals, why not take Kareena's lead and go veg? Going veg will do wonders for your skin and figure too! In fact, leading health experts agree that leaving meat out of our diets is the single-best thing we can do for our health.

People who don’t eat meat have a greater chance of a lifetime of good health and protection against numerous diseases like heart disease, cancer, and stroke. If you still aren't convinced, check this out.