Farewell, Pandit Ravi Shankar – Musical Maestro and Animal Rights Champion

PETA and animals have lost a great friend this week. Ravi Shankar, the late sitar maestro, Beatles collaborator and honorary patron of PETA India passed away on Tuesday.

Compassion towards animals was a major part of Shankar’s philosophy. A lifelong vegetarian, he was proactively involved in defending the rights of animals and frequently spoke up to help end animal suffering. His actions included appealing to the Indian government to strengthen laws protecting animals, participating in a PETA India news conference urging the Supreme Court to hold authorities accountable for failing to prevent animal suffering in the leather and meat industries, asking KFC to address its severe cruelty to chickens and appearing in this PETA India ad with his daughter Anoushka.

To honour his memory, we hope that everyone who reads this will be inspired to participate in an act of kindness towards animals today. For ideas, please visit PETA.org.uk/Action.

Ravi Shankar will truly be missed – not only by those whose lives were touched by his music but also by PETA and the worldwide community of people committed to protecting animals. We send his family our condolences.