the questions people ask.

Yes - and arguably easier than in most countries. Indian cuisine is built on dals, chana, rajma, rice, roti, sabzi, chutneys and pickles. Most of it is either already vegan or a small swap away. The hard part is dairy (ghee, paneer, curd, milk in tea) - the food itself is the easy bit.

The same places most Indians already do - dals, chana, rajma, soya chunks, tofu, peanuts, sprouts - plus tempeh and seitan if you want them. A regular Indian plate with dal, sabzi and roti already delivers 15-25g of protein. Two full meals like this plus a snack easily gets you to 60-100g a day.

Ragi, til (sesame), almonds, tofu (set with calcium sulphate), fortified plant milks, leafy greens like methi and sarson, and small amounts in a dozen other foods. Most people who eat a varied plant-based diet meet calcium needs without effort; fortified soya or oat milk in your chai closes any gap easily.

Yes. Every vegan should take B12 - it is the one nutrient that plants do not reliably provide. A weekly 2000mcg cyanocobalamin tablet is cheap, safe and settles the question.

It doesn't have to be. Dals, rice, seasonal sabzi, peanuts, chana and soya chunks are among the cheapest calories and protein in the country. Speciality products - vegan cheese, plant milks, mock meats - are where costs climb. You can eat well vegan on around Rs 200/day if you cook.

Cold-pressed groundnut, mustard or coconut oil for cooking (or plant-based ghee brands like Nutralite Vegan). Tofu for paneer in gravies and bhurji. Cashew or soya curd, or fermented cashew/coconut yogurt, for curd. Coconut milk or cashew cream for makhani-style gravies.

South Indian, Lebanese, Indo-Chinese, Thai (with tweaks) and Italian (with substitutions) are the easiest cuisines. At Indian weddings, focus on the chaat counter, south Indian counter, salads, dals and roti sections. Ask for no ghee, no cream, no paneer. Most kitchens will accommodate if you ask politely and clearly.

Don't start with an argument. Start with cooking one meal a week that happens to be vegan and is genuinely delicious. Answer questions when asked, don't lecture. Most families come around slowly - the goal is not to convert them in a month, it's to make plant-based food a normal, welcome thing in the house.

Yes - major dietetic associations (including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) agree a well-planned vegan diet is appropriate at every life stage including infancy and childhood. It does need a bit more planning around B12, iron, calcium, iodine and enough calories. Work with a paediatrician who is open to it.

Silk requires boiling silkworms alive in the cocoon. Leather is a significant profit centre for the meat industry, not just a by-product. Wool involves painful practices in most large-scale production. Traditional handloom cotton, linen, khadi and modern alternatives (mushroom leather, cactus leather, recycled fibres) all exist as vegan options.

No. Cruelty-free means not tested on animals. Vegan means no animal-derived ingredients. A lipstick can be cruelty-free but still contain beeswax, carmine or lanolin. For fully aligned products you want both labels.

Not always. Many wines and beers use isinglass (fish bladder), gelatin, egg white or casein for fining. Most Indian spirits are fine, most craft beer is fine, and Barnivore.com is the reference site for checking specific brands.

Honey is not vegan. Bees make it for themselves; commercial beekeeping regularly involves practices bees cannot consent to. Substitute with jaggery, date syrup, maple syrup or agave depending on the use.

Indian brands like Katharos, One Good and Bohca are making genuinely good cashew and soya-based cheeses. Imported options (Violife, Follow Your Heart) are available in metros. Expect to try a few before finding one you like - it took me two years to find my daily cheese.

Note it, learn from it, and carry on. One meal does not change your direction; the next one does.