My name is Shivam, and I come from a Bengali family with a deep-rooted tradition of consuming animal products. Growing up in Lucknow, a city renowned for its Mughlai cuisine, eating meat was not just normal—it was celebrated. I consumed various animals without a second thought, desensitized to the reality behind my plate.

One vivid childhood memory stands out. At just ten years old, I visited a butcher shop where live chickens were slaughtered in front of customers. The first time, I felt discomfort. But with repeated visits, it became just another routine task—no different from buying a pack of chips. That’s how conditioned we are. I didn’t see animals as individuals; I saw them as food.

Years later, in 2018, I stumbled upon the concept of a whole-food, plant-based diet while exploring fitness. Through social media, I connected with people who followed plant-based lifestyles, and among them were vegans advocating for animal rights. Their posts didn’t immediately change me, but they planted a seed.

The turning point came during yet another visit to a butcher shop. For the first time, I felt unease—not just because of the bloodshed but because I noticed the chicken’s fear. I saw their struggle, their panic, their futile attempts to escape. The clanking sound of their feet hitting the metal chamber as they bled out—it stayed with me. It was as if I was experiencing the whole process for the first time, despite having witnessed it countless times before.

I began researching animal agriculture, and what I discovered was horrifying. I realized that the suffering I had just witnessed was only the final moment of an already cruel existence. These animals were bred into overcrowded, filthy conditions, deprived of basic needs, and genetically manipulated for maximum profit. And for what? My taste? My convenience?

That’s when I started questioning my own morality. I considered myself a compassionate, rational person—yet my actions didn’t align with those values. If I rejected violence and injustice in all other forms, how could I justify this? That’s when I knew I had to change.

At first, I became vegetarian, believing dairy farming to be humane. But after researching the dairy industry—seeing mother cows cry for their stolen calves, understanding the cycle of forced impregnation and slaughter—I realized that there was no ethical way to exploit animals. Veganism wasn’t just about diet; it was about justice.