Raveena Tandon Inspires Children to be Kind to Animals Through ‘Unlock The Animal World’ Book Reading at Mumbai’s Podar International School (IB & Cambridge)
On World Oceans Day (8 June), Padma Shri and National award-winning actor and PETA India Honorary Director, Raveena Tandon, conducted an engaging reading session for youngsters at Podar International School (IB & Cambridge) to encourage them to be kind to animals. Tandon read from ‘Unlock The Animal World: Incredible Facts for Young Superheroes’, a newly released book authored by Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA India and PETA entities worldwide.
‘Unlock The Animal World: Incredible Facts for Young Superheroes’ includes fascinating facts about animals—from sea turtles who use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate vast oceans, birds who have ways of breathing such thin air that they can even fly over the Himalayas, to pigs who enjoy playing video games and horses who can learn to press buttons to get a coat put on or taken off, depending on the weather—as well as key, action steps that empower young people to protect animals.
“‘Unlock The Animal World’ is a powerful reminder of how intelligent and remarkable animals are, and how important it is for us to stand up for and protect them. I encourage youngsters to use the book to explore all the exciting ways to be heroes to animals.” – Raveena Tandon
“I thank Ms. Raveena Tandon for leaving a lasting impression with our students, inspiring them to embrace kindness, empathy, and respect for all living beings. We extend our heartfelt thanks to PETA India for their dedication towards value education.”
– Dr. Vandana Lulla, Principal of Podar International School (IB & Cambridge)
With Indians under 25 making up nearly half (47%) of the nation’s population, PETA India puts considerable focus on its humane education programmes to encourage empathy in the next generation. They include Compassionate Citizen—an award-winning programme designed to help students aged 8 to 12 better understand and appreciate animals—and Ellie, a life-size animatronic, empathy-building “talking” elephant, who visits schools to encourage children to choose kindness.
Tandon, who was named PETA India’s 2025 Person of the Year, is proudly meat-free. She has also partnered with PETA India to gift a life-sized mechanical elephant to Karnataka’s Thousand Pillars Jain Temple along with daughter Rasha Thadani; called on authorities to take swift action after humans strangled a leopard in a village; joined PETA India in calling attention to the suffering of snakes, alligators, and other animals violently slaughtered for their skin; starred in a PETA India campaign urging everyone never to buy animals from a breeder or pet store; and promoted Compassionate Citizen. Tandon has also personally rescued animals from the busy streets of Mumbai.
