Goodmylk: A Return to Ahimsa - With ‘Plantrepreneur’ Abhay Rangan (vegan), Part 2 of 3

Abhay’s social entrepreneurship has earned him the distinction of being the youngest Indian entrepreneur to make the prestigious Forbes “Asia 30 Under 30” list – in 2019, at the age of 22.

Abhay’s vegan journey began at age 13 when his father showed him the truth about the violence that takes place every day in dairy operations across India. “I think the enormity of abuse that goes down in slaughterhouses, dairy farms, and egg farms are really a horrifying tale in the history of humanity.” “I think all of us, inherently, do not like animals being hurt. All of us are inherently compassionate towards animals, but we're not confronted with the truth that animals are hurt every day in slaughterhouses, egg farms, dairy farms, etc. And I think this should stop because it's a blight on humanity.” Apart from the issue of ethics, Abhay also sees environmental degradation and climate change as powerful reasons for the world to switch to a vegan lifestyle.

Abhay’s concern about the unsustainability of a meat and dairy diet is rooted in solid science. One way Abhay tries to loosen this firm cultural grip of dairy is to raise public awareness about the negative health consequences of dairy consumption via social media and public speaking. Another way Abhay tackles India’s attachment to dairy is to create dairy alternatives that are not only affordable and accessible, but also “functional.”

Abhay is sometimes confronted by well-meaning citizens as to what would happen to the livelihood of the estimated 8.5 million dairy farmers in India if dairy were displaced. This is his response. “They can manufacture plant-based alternatives. And by setting up and financially empowering these hubs, we get to create entrepreneurial hubs in every single corner of the country.” Abhay points out that this is especially true if the government would recognize the negative impact of dairy on the environment, public health, and the economy, and direct the subsidies and tax cuts currently afforded to the dairy industry towards plant-based operations.