The word vegan was born out of necessity. In 1944, when several members of the UK's Vegetarian Society asked that a section of its newsletter be devoted to non-dairy vegetarianism, the demand was turned down on the grounds that a dietary choice as niche as this would prove to be an impediment in spreading the concept of vegetarianism. Donald Watson, a key member of the society, felt strongly for the cause and decided to take the first three and last two letters of the word vegetarian to start a separate newsletter, The Vegan News.

India, with its significant vegetarian population, is not new to the concept of a meat-free diet. But in the land of ghee and makkhan, switching to a dairy-free lifestyle has seemed out of place to many. Veganism by its definition, however, isn't restricted to dietary choices alone. The Mumbai-based Ahimsa Parmo Dharma Group (APDG) found its cruelty-free approach in resonance with the Indian concept of ahimsa.