London: US-born Poorva Joshipura, former Senior Vice President of International Affairs for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation UK, has spent more than half her life working to end animal exploitation through provocative protests, undercover investigations, and work in courts and corporate and government offices. She has now been appointed the first-ever president of PETA International, a new operational arm spanning the UK, India, Jordan, France, and other countries.
Now based in London, Joshipura was born in the US to parents from Gujarat, India, and was raised in Virginia. She authored the books For a Moment of Taste: How What You Eat Impacts Animals, the Planet, and Your Health – the first-ever in-depth exposé of how animals commonly used for meat, eggs, and dairy are treated in India – as well as Survival at Stake: How Our Treatment of Animals Is Key to Human Existence.
Joshipura, also serves as a member of the board of directors for PETA India and brings more than 25 years of experience to her new role. Since joining PETA US in 1999 as an intern and then becoming its Research Associate at just 23, she is known for devising effective campaigns from the boardroom to the street.
“Years ago, in a slaughterhouse where I was documenting how badly cows are killed for leather, I locked eyes with a frightened calf who was pinned to the ground aware of his pending death, and at that moment vowed to dedicate my life to animal liberation,” Joshipura says. “For more than 25 years with PETA entities – from undercover investigator to leading international campaigns – I’ve been true to that pledge.”
Joshipura plans to use cultural intelligence formed from years of living in different continents, travel and her Indian background to oversee and invigorate global campaigns. Her priorities include using technology and innovation to eliminate animal exploitation and using modern means like robotic talking animals to educate young people about the vital importance of practicing kindness.
Joshipura’s many achievements over the years include stopping a US-based laboratory-animal supplier from setting up a facility in Europe and convincing Mercedes-Benz to be the first car retailer to agree to offer leather-free interior by special order (now Renault is phasing out animal leather and vegan leather comes as standard in many electric cars) and leading successful efforts for a ban on testing cosmetics and their ingredients on animals in India; ending the use of horse-drawn carriages in Petra and Mumbai; and achieving an Indian Supreme Court ban on the use of bulls for entertainment – for which she was burned in effigy by frenzied proponents of a cruel “game” – a prohibition which remains in place in most of the country.
“From Manchester to Mumbai, Poorva has been an unstoppable force in the animal liberation movement,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “Her extraordinary drive and determination is invaluable in extending our vital efforts to help animals everywhere.”
