B4U VJ Shamita

B4U VJ & Model Shamita Singha

Exclusive Interview With B4U Music VJ Shamita Singha

Most people recognise Shamita Singha from her days as Miss India Earth 2001 and walks down the runway. But before Shamita dove head first into the world of professional modelling, she was already an accomplished animal rights activist and outspoken vegetarian. Now a popular host on B4U Music, Shamita continues her work in behalf of animals and agreed to sit down with petaDishoom to talk about how she makes compassion a part of her everyday life.

How long have you been vegetarian, and why did you make the switch?
I turned vegetarian when I was quite young because I realised that if I really love animals, then I can’t eat them – and I was not very fond of meat even before, as it’s not fresh. It’s dead, and you don’t want to eat something which is dead, as it is not healthy and not good for your body. So, I somehow realised that 12 years ago. And since then, I have been promoting vegetarianism.

Does being vegetarian help you keep your body fit in the competitive modelling field?
People are always asking me, “How do you maintain yourself, and how are you glowing all the time, happy and energetic all the time, with such hectic work hours?” So I tell them that firstly, I’m a veg and so I eat a lot of veggies, salads and fruits, and those foods are alive, so I’m alive! And in terms of working out, I get all my energy from my veggies and fresh stuff.

Do you wear leather?
I don’t wear leather at all. I wear the false leather Rexene. And I always make sure all my shoes and bags are non-leather, because the way leather is made is horrible. I don’t even do fashion shows which use leather in them. Also, if my stylist gets me anything in leather, I refuse to wear it, so I don’t associate with that at all.

Tell us some incidents in which you have helped an animal.
I have been associated with many animal organisations – long before I got into modelling – so I have done many rescues and animal raids. I have rescued birds in cages. My favourite is rescuing snakes from snake charmers. Initially, I was scared of snakes, but later I realised that they are so harmless and such lazy animals and so beautiful, especially when you feel them in your hands. Also, I’m a member of the Animal Welfare Board of India, and to get that membership, you need to go through this course where you learn first aid for animals like horses, dogs and cats. I have also rescued a lot of stray kittens.

What is your message to young people who are just learning about animal rights?
No matter where you live – even in a crazy city like Mumbai – you can always be kind to animals. In your everyday life, try not to eat meat; try to live on vegetarian food. Trust me; try it for only two months – there are a lot of options, and it is more healthy and tasty. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to eat meat ever again. Secondly, if you ever see an animal in distress on the road, try to help; contact any animal welfare group that will come to do a rescue, or you can do it yourself. First aid is very simple. Like you would give first aid to a child at home who falls and is cut or wounded, you can give first aid to an animal in the same way.
And just remember that you share the planet with animals – it is not for us only. Since we share the world with them, be a little compassionate; be a little kind to them and help them. If there is a lost puppy or kitten, try to find a home so that the animal is safe. Just be kind to animals – they are always kind to us, so we should be kind to them.