PETA India Serves 3000 Free Vegan Meals to Children and Others in Need in Delhi in Memory of Founder’s Late Mother
Mary Patricia Ward lived in Delhi for many years in the 1950s and 1960s, and donated her time and efforts to charities for children and their mothers, including sewing clothes and stuffing toys for orphans. She would be 104 this year and, in remembrance of her charitable works, PETA India distributed protein-packed rajma chawal to 3,000 children and others in need at community learning centres and Jai Hind Camp, Vasant Kunj, with the help of food distribution charity Little India Foundation. Mrs Ward loved this Delhi favourite dish – an ordinary Indian food that is hearty, healthy, and vegan (when prepared without ghee). Her deep love for children and animals was well known in Delhi where she rescued dogs from the street and rolled bandages and packed pills for lepers who were then a common sight as they begged for alms at Connaught Place. She is the late mother of PETA India and PETA entities worldwide founder, Ingrid Newkirk, who was inspired by her mother’s adage, “It doesn’t matter who suffers, it’s what you can do to help them.”
Mrs Ward lived in Diplomatic Enclave in New Delhi for eight years while her husband worked as an advisor to the Indian government. Mary turned the family home into a refuge for every animal who came to the door – regardless of species – and spent her time selling embroidery to benefit unwed mothers, volunteering at Mother Teresa’s orphanage, and assisting people who had lost fingers and nose tips to leprosy. Her husband contributed to her charitable efforts and donated to charities in present-day Bangladesh while working there during a humanitarian crisis. Mary passed away in 2013 in Springfield, Oregon, US, but her love for India, children, and animals lives on through her daughter’s life work as the founder of PETA India and PETA entities worldwide and her wish to give back to India in her honour.
“My mother taught me that compassion must reach everyone – whether a child, a person in hardship, or an animal in need. By serving wholesome vegan meals to families in Delhi, PETA India is honouring her legacy in the way she would have loved: with kindness, nourishment, and respect for all living beings.” – Ingrid Newkirk, PETA India founder
Cows form deep bonds and grieve when their loved ones die, pigs recognise their names just as dogs do, and fish sing to one another and even have distinct cultures. Yet animals raised for the meat, egg, dairy, and fishing industries endure immense suffering, including separation from their families and violent death. India is leading the way at changing this: a Statista Consumer Insights survey found that India leads the world in meat-free eating, with 9% of Indians now identifying as vegan, or wholly plant-focused. As more Indians embrace vegan eating, PETA India envisions a future in which animals are free to live and nurture their young, while everyone enjoys the abundance of delicious vegan foods that reflect India’s enduring values of ahimsa.
Choosing vegan foods is better for our health and planet, too. Vegan eating leaves a far smaller carbon footprint than eating animal-derived foods and also lowers the risk of heart disease and certain cancers, making it a win for animals, the planet, and our own health.
