🌱 Plant Forward INDIA!

India is one of the world’s most diverse food cultures, and one of the most exciting places to explore what it means to eat consciously, compassionately, and sustainably. This May, Redefining Ahimsa Foundation and SHARAN bring Plant Forward to India with a rich programme of cooking events, health and workplace challenges, and a national competition for culinary students.

Redefining Ahimsa Foundation, formerly known as Vegan Outreach India, is known for its college outreach program, with a robust network of 3000+ colleges and 85+ corporate partners, will lead the Plant Forward 2026 along with SHARAN.  

SHARAN (Sanctuary for Health and Reconnection to Animals and Nature) is a pioneering Indian organisation with over two decades of experience helping people transform their health through whole-food, plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

SHARAN and Redefining Ahimsa will bring fun, evidence-based, and culturally relevant activities in collaboration with partners like Anju Kalhan, Chef Dave, Chef Q, and many more, with great insights and nutrition tips. 

INDIA

Join the 30-day Healthy Me Challenge on WhatsApp! Take the Plant Forward pledge online! Or team up with your colleagues for the Plant Forward Workplace Challenge — Host a potluck and win prizes together. Students at culinary institutes across India can also enter the Plant Forward Cooking Competition!

🍳  Cooking Demonstrations & Q&A

Join our live online cooking demos and discover how easy, delicious, and nutritious plant-forward cooking can be — using everyday Indian ingredients and flavours you already love.

Cooking Demo/Q&A with Bliss by Anju

Plant forward foundations for health: whole-food plant-based (WFPB) principles
Country: India | CCN host: Redefining Ahimsa & SHARAN | Language:  English | Format: Online | Date: Friday 1 May, 5.30pm IST YouTube Live

Cooking with Astig Vegan

Filipino and international flavours, the plant-forward way.
Country: India | CCN host: Redefining Ahimsa & PAWS | Language:  English | Format: Online | Date: Friday 8th May, 5.30pm IST YouTube Live

Cooking Demo/Q&A with Chef Dave

Vegan twists on Asian & Indian everyday meals – easy and delicious
Country: India/Malaysia | CCN host: Redefining Ahimsa & VSM | Language:  English | Format: Online | Date: Friday 15th May, 5.30pm IST YouTube Live

Masterclass with Narhari Gupta from Luma Institute (India)

Vegan twists on Asian & Indian everyday meals – easy and delicious
Country: India/Malaysia | CCN host: Redefining Ahimsa | Language:  English | Format: Online | Date: Friday 22nd May, 5.30pm IST YouTube Live

🏆  Plant Forward Healthy Me Challenge

You know that eating right, getting enough rest, and keeping the body active are important. But in a busy routine, it becomes easy to skip these things. This World Health Day, SHARAN invites you on a simple 30-day health journey — one small step every day.

How it works:

Starting Tuesday, 7 April, the SHARAN team will share one simple and achievable health goal every day for 30 days on WhatsApp.

If you are already doing it — give yourself credit.
If not, simply try it that day.
And if you enjoy it, continue.

The goal is simple:
notice your habits, reflect, and slowly strengthen the ones that support your well-being.

Participants who complete the challenge will receive a small prize from SHARAN.
But the real reward is something more meaningful — better awareness of your health.

🏆  Plant Forward Culinary Challenge

Are you a culinary student with a passion for creative, plant-based cooking? This is your moment. Enter the Plant Forward Culinary Challenge — India’s first national online competition for culinary students — and show the country what plant-forward cuisine can look like.

How it works:
Create an original plant-based dish, photograph or film it, and submit your entry online.
Entries will be judged on creativity, taste, practicality, and presentation.
Three prizes will be awarded — and winning dishes will be featured across Plant Forward India’s social media.

Open to culinary students at institutes across India.

🔗 Challenge opens in May