Shankar Narayan
International Council 2006 -
IVU Coordinator for India 2006 -

Shankar's election statement in 2006:

Pressure on an expanding population to pursue material gain at the expense of morality and respect for life brings mass exploitation and destruction of other beings for food. True vegetarianism provides the foundation for an ethical lifestyle whereby all beings can live in peace and harmony.

A 41-year-old vegetarian by birth - and by moral conviction since reading Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography - I founded a vegetarian association in 1993 and the Indian Vegan Society in 2004. I have written two booklets on vegetarianism (distributed free of charge), given talks at Rotary Clubs, schools and colleges, organised PETA's Compassionate Citizen teacher-training programme in Goa and helped with arrangements for the World Congress. I promote a plant-based diet to the general public and have persuaded many people give up meat.

I aim to help IVU arrest the erosion of vegetarianism due to globalisation and commercialisation and believe that Council membership would enhance my efforts to educate our fellow humans to shun violence and promote peace and respect for of all life.

It gives me immense pleasure to stand for election to the International Council: together I believe we can convince the world that vegetarianism is the only hope for the future.

• Origin & History of Vegetarianism in India - from the IVU World Veg Congress in Dresden, Germay, 2008
  
  
• 11th International Vegan Festival - 2007, Murdeshwar, Karnataka, India
  
  
• Founder & President, Indian Vegan Society, Goa, India
  
  
• In the Path of Enlightenment - Shankar's road to veganism
  

Above-right: Shankar, on the right, with Jashu Shah at the World Vegetarian Congress in Goa, September 2006