1981. First semester in Carbondale. Was a vegetarian. Turned into a vegan after a couple of decades and am still one. Vegans don’t believe in animal cruelty.
I had two IIT Kanpur graduates as roommates. 1981 graduates. Vivek loved cooking. Some night when I returned late from school, the food would be ready. What is for dinner? “Beans.” I would go to the garbage bag and looked for tins there. The can had markings that it had beans AND pork. I refused to eat that, Vivek would get angry at me accusing me of being suspicious.
Once we went to the mall. Vivek ordered for a soup for me. When the serving person came, I asked her what was in the soup’s gravy? “Beet fat.” prompt came the reply. I refused to take the soup, Vivek got angry at me again.
I guess it will be a familiar with most Indians when we go to American. In the beginning there would be some struggle, but over time – in 1 or 2 years – most will start eating beef and pork. End of trouble.
I used to go to Dr. M.K. Jain’s house. He and his wife had remained vegetarians over years. With them I could be sure that the food they offered, and they loved feeding me, and I loved it too, was vegetarian. Unfortunately some of their sons and families has started eating meat. They didn’t live with them.
There was one more professor, from Andhra?, wife was a doctor and she didn’t eat meat, he ate but could like on vegetarian food when wife was around and not touring.
Otherwise, 95-100% of the Indians turned meat eaters. Would expect most Indians nowadays to start eating beef and pork from the first day in the USA or even earlier.
One thing I noticed among Indians then if that even if they started eating beef they lied to their parent back in India claiming that they were vegetarians. I think the guilt it gone now. Think the father, actually encourages their kids to start eating beef as soon a possible for potential career potential.
Had a Muslim student from India. I was surprised he was not eating pork. Heard that many Muslims turn vegetarians or vegans to totally prevent eating pork even by mistake.
Indians in general,
Being vegan is so outdated in India.