"Eating meat, milk products, and eggs is destroying the planet"

Celebrity uses social media to highlight animal cruelty; Anchor, model Diya promotes vegetarianism

Francis Cardoso

Amusing persona, extempore speech, sharp memory.

These are some of the qualities that drive Diya Sharma’s success as an anchor/presenter. From fashion shows to concerts to live shows to corporate events, Diya handles them with equal fluency.

Apart from being a much-sought after anchor, she is also an established commercial model and an actress. Her long list of reputable clients underscores her class and versatility.

She counts Baskin Robbins, Vodafone, The Body Shop and Volkswagen among some of her clients. Her popularity is not just confined to India as she has also performed in many countries, including: Singapore, Hong Kong, the US, UK, Dubai, Sri Lanka and Nepal, among others.  

Diya first made news splash when she scooped the Ponds Women of the Future title and that kick started her career. She is also a noted animal rights activist and is promoting vegetarianism in India.

She is increasingly using social media to highlight cruelty to animals and has managed to draw the attention of political bigwigs through a sustained campaign.

Diya has taken up cudgels against some powerful business establishments for meteing out cruelty to animals. She recently made her debut in a Bollywood film that will hit the street in the coming months.

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Diya in an interview with this writer spoke about a variety of issues, including social media, her acting career, future plans and animal cruelty, among others.

Question: Can you talk about your role in championing the rights of animals?
Answer: I have been involved in protecting rights of animals for eight years now. I am also promoting vegetarianism in India. It takes a small person to beat a defenseless animal and an even smaller person to eat one.

If you’re consuming meat, milk products, and eggs, you are paying others to commit acts so cruel that if committed against dogs or cats, they would warrant felony cruelty charges in most US states. You can’t eat meat and call yourself an environmentalist.

Eating meat, milk products, and eggs is destroying the planet. The University of Chicago reports that going vegan is 50 percent more effective than switching to a hybrid car in reducing greenhouse emissions. In addition, a recent United Nations report concluded that a global shift toward a vegan diet is essential to combating the worst effects of climate change.

I have also launched a crusade against some well-known businesses for ill-treating animals. The thing is that there are many organizations in India which claim to be fighting for animal rights but unfortunately they are only paying a lip service.

                                         Social media is like a gold mine for me:Diya

Q: Which is the most memorable event you have hosted so far?
A: The most memorable and the biggest event I have ever hosted is undoubtedly the Common Wealth Games in Delhi in 2010. The atmosphere was electrifying and audience was amazing.

Among my other notable shows include World Cup Cricket and the IPL 2011. In addition, I have hosted shows in numerous countries, including Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, US, Nepal, UK and Sri Lanka, among others.

Q: How do you counter negative publicity?
A: Fortunately for me, I haven’t received any bad press so far. Personally, I feel any publicity is good publicity. In this dazzling digital age, it is important to set the record straight. In short, you need to get your key messages out in a timely manner.

That is very, very important. If you don’t take timely steps in a crisis situation, things can spin out of control. So it is always important to keep the channels of communication open. Above all, be honest and apologize for your mistake in a tactful manner. Everyone makes mistakes but when you apologize, the sympathy factor comes into play. I have a manager who looks after all PR-related activities.  

Q: What are your future plans as an actress now that you have made your debut in Bollywood?
A: Acting has always been close to my heart and my grandfather played a key role in nurturing my talent. I began my acting career as a child artiste. Additionally, I have acted in many Television serials.

I felt time was ripe now to launch myself on the big screen. I am doing a film with Rajiv Khandelwal. This is my maiden foray into Bollywood, and if things click for me, then I would concentrate on my film career.

Q: How is social media scene shaping up in India?
A: Social media has taken off big time in India. According to recent reports, a staggering 33 million people in India are currently using various social media platforms and in that we have 45,000 new users every single day. It is also gaining ground among school children. As far as children are concerned, it’s like a double-edged sword.

I mean children’s ability to write is being hampered because they are using short forms while communicating and this impacts their ability to write well. On the other hand, they are using it as a medium to acquire knowledge and keep abreast of what is going around the globe.

Q: You seem to be pretty active on Facebook, and often engage with your fans...in what way does this exercise help your cause?

A: Social media is like a gold mine for me. I post pictures of my shows on Facebook and other social networking sites. So this gives a clear sense to my fans and clients about my work. I also get valuable feedback from them and that is something I take seriously.

It enables me to discern what my fans like or don’t like about me. I received tremendous response from my fans after I posted some pictures of animal cruelty on Facebook. Many sent me supportive emails saying they want to be part of my campaign and that was a huge boost to our efforts.