Journalism of Courage
In recognition of her vow to be meat-free, fierce dedication to protecting wildlife, tireless advocacy on behalf of community animals, and compassionate efforts to promote empathy for all living, feeling beings, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India) has named award-winning Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon its 2025 Person of the Year. (Source: Photo by PR handout )
Raveena Tandon and Elephants: Earlier this year, Tandon, alongside her daughter, actor Rasha Thadani, partnered with PETA India to give a life sized mechanical elephant to Karnataka’s Thousand Pillars Jain Temple in recognition of its kind decision never to own or hire live elephants. (Source: Photo by PR handout )
Champion of Compassionate Citizen Programme: Tandon has also been a champion of humane education, promoting PETA India’s award-winning Compassionate Citizen programme, which is designed to foster empathy in young learners by helping them better understand and appreciate animals. (Source: Photo by PR handout )
Tandon and the Homeless Animal Crisis: Over the years, Tandon has taken on the homeless animal crisis, too, opening her heart and home to several adopted cats and dogs and rescuing others. She personally rescued a 2 month old kitten from the busy streets of Mumbai, and she starred in a PETA India campaign urging everyone never to buy animals from a breeder or pet store. (Source: Photo by PR handout )
Intervention for the Rescue of Animals in the Wild: A passionate defender of wildlife, Tandon sent a letter urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene on behalf of the panthers and other animals faced with the loss of their habitat as a result of a freight corridor project and called on authorities to take swift action after humans strangled a leopard in a village. (Source: Photo by PR handout )
Raveena Tandon on her association with PETA India: She also joined PETA India in calling attention to the suffering endured by snakes, alligators, and other animals who are violently slaughtered for their skin and promoted plant powered eating to her millions of social media followers by publicly calling on Burger King to open a fully vegan location in India or at least to offer vegan Whoppers. (Source: Photo by PR handout )
Past Recipients: Past recipients of PETA India’s Person of the Year Award include Bollywood star Adah Sharma, former Supreme Court Justice KS Panicker Radhakrishnan, cricketer Virat Kohli, comedian Kapil Sharma, and actors Dia Mirza, Alia Bhatt, John Abraham, Anushka Sharma, Sunny Leone, Sonakshi Sinha, R Madhavan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Hema Malini, and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja. (Source: Photo by PR handout )
