No paneer, no honey, no milky chai? The real challenge of going vegan in India

NewsIndia NewsNo paneer, no honey, no milky chai? The real challenge of going vegan in India No paneer, no honey, no milky chai? The real challenge of going vegan in India Kanchan Yadav / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Nov 01, 2026, 18:59 IST For many Indians, the day begins with a cup of milky chai, followed by breakfast cooked in ghee.

Lunch may come with a bowl of curd and paneer on the menu, while a Sunday meal is often incomplete without chicken curry.These familiar food habits are so deeply woven into everyday life that giving up all animal-derived products can seem like a difficult choice.But for people who turn vegan, the change goes beyond replacing meat with vegetables.

It means rethinking everyday ingredients, from milk and butter to honey, as well as choices involving clothing, cosmetics and other products.“There are alternatives for practically everything. You can make curd at home using plant milk, use tofu instead of paneer, and use different nut and soy milks,” says Sarahana, who has been vegan since 2018.On World Vegan Day, observed on November 1, the question is not just why people choose veganism, but what it takes to follow the lifestyle.

Dal, rice, roti, rajma, chole, idli, dosa, poha, upma and vegetable dishes can all be part of a vegan diet. According to The Vegan Society, veganism is a way of living that seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practicable, all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty.While a vegan diet avoids meat, fish, eggs, dairy and honey, the lifestyle also extends to products made from animals, those tested on animals and activities that use animals for entertainment.

For some, the decision is rooted in animal welfare; for others, environmental concerns or health considerations play a role.But the experiences of vegans show that the transition is as much about changing everyday habits as it is about changing one's perspective.India has a long tradition of vegetarian food, but veganism goes a step further by excluding all animal-derived products, including milk, curd, ghee, paneer and honey.According to estimates compiled by World Population Review, around 9% of India's population followed a vegan diet in 2021, amounting to an estimated 121.5 million people.

The country also has a substantial vegetarian population, reflecting its diverse food traditions.However, the figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a definitive count, as veganism surveys often rely on self-reported responses and vary in methodologies.

The figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a definitive count, as veganism surveys often rely on self-reported responses. One common perception is that veganism is an expensive lifestyle, largely because plant-based milk, meat substitutes and other packaged alternatives can cost more than conventional products.

However, both Utkarsh and Sarahana say that a vegan diet need not depend on these products.Utkarsh points out that many Indian staples are naturally plant-based. “India is one of the easiest places in which to eat vegan, because so much of the food we already know and love either naturally contains no animal-derived ingredients or can be veganised with ridiculously small changes.“Think about dal, rajma, chole, idli, dosa, poha, upma, roti, sabzis, rice dishes and countless regional foods.

Veganism doesn’t have to mean buying an expensive imported mock meat or drinking a fancy packaged plant milk every morning. Those products are great if you enjoy them, but they aren’t what veganism depends on.” Utkarsh says lunch and dinner usually include things like tofu, soybeans, and plenty of vegetables.

Going vegan involves more than changing what is on the plate. It can mean checking product labels, asking about ingredients when eating out and finding alternatives to everyday items.Some medications and personal-care products may also contain animal-derived ingredients, making it important to check rather than assume that a product is vegan.For someone considering the transition, Utkarsh suggests starting by understanding where everyday products come from.“For anyone considering going vegan because they care about animals, I would say: start by looking.

Look honestly at where our milk, meat, eggs, leather, wool, silk, cosmetics and entertainment come from.”“Once I did that, veganism stopped feeling like something I was ‘giving up’. It started feeling like the most natural extension of something I had believed all along.”Sarahana says the idea is to extend compassion beyond the animals people traditionally consider companions or pets.She also points to the growing number of Indian businesses offering vegan alternatives.

For her, such businesses are helping make animal-free choices more accessible.Join conversation InsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig Development