Delhi's Malavika Malaviya plans to turn veganism into a much more affordable and accessible option 

Malaviya uses her social media handle @malagoesgreen to promote eco-conscious, green and sustainable products.
Malavika Malaviya
Malavika Malaviya

Although Malavika Malaviya is a practising vegetarian for almost a decade now, her journey as an aspiring vegan began during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. “During the pandemic, I came across some enlightening articles, which led me down a rabbit hole (comprising books, documentaries, and videos) to find the truth behind the meat and dairy industry. If I wanted my morals to be in line with my actions, knowing what I knew, I had to go vegan,” explains the spunky woman. 

But Malaviya hasn’t just stopped there and took it upon herself to make the earth a greener and better place by starting her Instagram handle @malagoesgreen, through which she talks about and promotes all things green and eco-friendly. Fast gaining a reputation among the conscious youth, her handle now commands over 10.2K followers and is making Malavika think of ever more innovative ways to spread the green word. We talk to the enterprising Malavika about the same.

Tell us a little about @malagoesgreen?

As someone new to veganism and eco-friendly living, I flung myself into researching the options available in India. I realized that while resources were available, there was no go-to platform to get all this information. Even on Instagram, the vegan pages are mostly based outside of India. That primarily motivated me to start @malagoesgreen, since it would be helpful to share what I discover with other people looking to go vegan or adopt greener options.

What kind of products do you endorse?

I am constantly on the hunt for more eco-friendly products. If a brand approaches me and the product falls in the eco-friendly/vegan category, I first try it out and only if I feel it is something I would love to use, I post about it. I’m also actively looking to promote smaller homegrown brands and those that offer more affordable prices to their customers.

Your future plans with this initiative?

My long-term goal is to build a centre (starting in Delhi, and eventually expanding to the other cities in India) that caters to the vegan community. There’ll be a vegan restaurant and a platform for green brands looking for visibility and growth,. All the resources will be under one roof to make it easier for a vegan in the city to procure products. I hope to create a far more vegan-friendly and accessible ecosystem in India.

What kind of queries do you get from followers?

I get various queries including what a vegan diet means, nutrition-related facts, about my personal journey into veganism, how to go about finding useful resources, and last, but most significant, about the functioning of the dairy and meat industry.

How do you try to spread awareness among friends and family?

I am always ready to initiate conversations around veganism and the various myths that have been propagated over the years – but, I don’t have these conversations with the expectation that people will go vegan overnight. My goal is to plant the seed of this thought, and hope that it turns them into vegans over time.

Your icon in the eco-consciousness drive?

Ed Winters (@earthlinged on Instagram).

Twitter: @sharmidas

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com