In Conversation with Amala Akkineni: Towards the Shared Vision of a Vegan World

It is that time of the year again – a time to reflect on the outgoing year and a time to scrawl out new resolutions. Earlier this month, a Harris Interactive® poll revealed that about 7.5 million Americans have embraced the vegan lifestyle, a number that is said to have doubled since 2009. This is heartwarming news. Although there is no study of that sort been done in India yet, we can see that change is clearly, slowly, steadily happening. This year we find significant awareness of the word, “vegan” among metro dwellers. “Awareness” is the first step to change. The year has seen a good sprinkling of vegan-related news features in mainstream media. The challenge for the coming year is to ensure that the V-word is understood and celebrated in the spirit it is intended. The challenge is also to facilitate this understanding in creative and harmonious ways. No effort made is irrelevant; all have a purpose. Afterall, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Today we feel privileged and excited to have amid us a celebrity Indian vegan who breathes the essence of veganism and is leading an extraordinary life. She has graciously consented to share some pages from her vegan journey in our year end post series. She provides insights and tips to shop, eat, and live vegan. She is none other than Amala Akkineni, former actor and Indian Classical dancer, an ardent human- and- animal rights activist, and a vegan of four years. We hope that her experience will inspire the new vegans and the vegan aspirants among us. Here is a short biography of the illustrious, multi-faceted Amala Akkineni before you read the interview.

Amala Akkineni is the co-founder of Blue Cross of Hyderabad, a registered non-profit animal welfare organization working for the welfare of animals in Hyderabad and extending support to other groups in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

A graduate of Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts, she completed her education in Chennai and toured extensively with the renowned Kalakshetra Dance Troupe both in India and abroad before joining films.

Her career in Indian cinema (1985 – 1992) had her complete 50 films as leading lady in five Indian languages (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi) after which she married co-star and leading Telugu Film Actor, Nagarjuna.

Amala has worked for the last 18 years in South India through various non-governmental and governmental organizations in animal welfare, wildlife protection, child welfare, rural women’s empowerment, HIV awareness, and for the protection of the environment. Amala has trained as a presenter with Mr. Al Gore and The Climate Project India on climate change issues and has reached out to thousands of people in Andhra Pradesh regarding sustainable lifestyles through her presentations. 

As a film personality, she constantly brings into focus social and environmental issues through media interactions, speaking at public gatherings in both rural and urban communities, at educational institutions, and on popular television shows, to increase understanding and motivate social change.

Amala is a practitioner of Yoga and Vipassana and believes the key to social change is through education and a commitment to sustainable lifestyles: physically, environmentally, and spiritually.

A Pretty Picture: Amala and Baby Cow Photograph courtesy: WOW Hyderabad Staff Photographer

Amala: I turned vegan four years ago when a number of truths dawned on me. I was a vegetarian since the age of 11, but recently for a few years since 2005, I had been having stomach problems. I thought it was just a stomach bug at first and later a sensitive stomach, so I avoided spicy food. The doctors would say, “you work with animals it must be something you get from them”, and they would give medication. It would always come back. I was eating well but did not feel energetic. It’s terrible to be constantly low on energy. And it’s not any fun eating boiled food all the time thinking one has to be careful. No one suggested I could be lactose intolerant and it didn’t strike me either.

Then in October 2007, I was asked to inspect a slaughterhouse for Animal Welfare Board of India, which turned out to be an eye opener. All the animals at the slaughterhouse were female buffaloes from the dairy industry. There were 500 of them waiting their turn for slaughter. Every day hundreds of them are sent from the dairy for slaughter when their milk production drops. This is a sad and harsh reality all vegetarians need to accept. These creatures were enormous, healthy and young, but they were not considered economically viable to keep alive when milk production drops after birthing a number of calves.

That day looking at their terrified expressions, it dawned on me that despite being vegetarian, my consumption of milk products was a direct cause for the commercial breeding and slaughter of these beautiful creatures. I experienced being part of the cycle and I knew I had to step away. I became vegan.

That’s when I signed up for *Dr. Nandita Shah’s workshop “Peas v/s Pills”. The workshop helped me make a smooth and easy transition into the new lifestyle.

Amala: One week into being vegan, all my stomach problems cleared up. I had been lactose intolerant without knowing it. The vegan diet healed my stomach and brought my energy back, the relief was tremendous. My inner strength grew. It has helped me become more detached about everything, more conscious, more responsible. Now I never take things for granted or expect to be served or fed – I always plan and feed myself. It has certainly made me more responsible, respectful about food.

Amala: Everyone admires my ability to do what I want, believe in, make up my mind about. They are very respectful and supportive. My dear friends and close family always plan a vegan item on their menu for me if I am eating at their homes. They understand the benefits from my good health and try it out sometimes for themselves, though they do find it difficult. My sister tried being vegan for a whole month when I visited her. Now she says the vegan diet suits her much better than a dairy-based one. As we age, our bodies have different needs. If we understand these needs and address them, our health can be so much better.

I deal with the subject of food with respect. Having been a non-vegetarian by birth and giving it up by choice, I know that the time comes to us in a sequence of life-changing events. When I know a person has arrived at a life-changing event and makes a pro choice that will save the lives of thousands of animals, I acknowledge it with ceremonious gratitude. But I am careful not to offend the choices of others. There are good people in this world doing their bit and yet not vegan or vegetarian. Who are we to judge?

Amala with Good Boy, a young differently-abled horse rescued and adopted by NGO, Samabhava Photograph courtesy: Samabhava

Vegan India!: We are eager to know who/who all has/have been your inspiration and why?  

Amala: I have read Mrs. Maneka Gandhi’s pieces on the suffering of dairy animals many times and it struck a chord. But what finally drove the point home and made me change was to see it for myself. The animals inspired me to give it up. Dr. Nandita helped me do it without any fear or stress. Changing one’s lifestyle, diet, can be stressful especially when you have been accustomed to something all your life. The body carves for what it has been used to, so knowing how to handle that stage is helpful.

Vegan India!: Dr. Nandita and her team have guided the intent of so many people in the most creative and positive ways, thank you for sharing this. Amala, according to you, how easy or difficult has it been for you to find vegan parallels to food, clothing, footwear, accessories, cosmetics, jewelry, and other articles of daily use?

Amala: I don’t find it difficult, because I am not fanatical. I love being vegan and do my best to find vegan options, so is easy. Family and friends also shop for me on my birthday – I get vegan bags, shoes, jewelry, energy bars, biscuits – anything they get excited to find that is vegan. I have quite a stash!

Amala: Well, firstly it helps to not want everything one sees! When you want to buy something, look at the label, if it’s not vegan, put it down. In fashion, there is always cotton, linen, or synthetic fabrics to choose from, even in shoes. For food, you can’t want dessert all the time and then demand vegan as most desserts have dairy. It’s easier to give up dessert and be happy with a date or piece of fruit. Actually, vegan can be the most simple and environmentally sustaining lifestyle on this planet. My advice when shopping is, don’t be fanatical and don’t be greedy; be patient and persistent and you will always find what you need.