Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 9 NATIONAL AFFAIRS September 19, 2025 Indian American Named The First-Ever President Of PETA International I ndian American Poorva Joshipura, a member of the board of directors of People for the Ethical Treat- ment of Animals-India, PETA India, has been named the first-ever President of PETA International. Joshipura, who is the author of For a Moment of Taste: HowWhat You Eat Impacts Animals, the Planet, and Your Health—was brought up in Suffolk, Virginia. Her book was the first-ever in-depth exposé of how animals commonly used for meat, eggs, and dairy are treated in India. Now, as the first-ever president of PETA International, Joshipura will be overseeing its projects and operations in Europe, Asia, and parts of the Middle East. After starting her career at PETA’s headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, Joshipura has championing the cause of animals for more than 25 years in countries world- wide through provocative protests, undercover investi- gations, and strategic work with corporate and govern- ment leaders. “Years ago, in a slaughterhouse where I was record- ing 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 is quoted saying in a press release September 10, 2025.. “For more than 25 years with PETA entities, from under- cover investigator to leading international campaigns, I’ve been true to that pledge.” Born in Philadelphia to parents from Gujarat, India, Joshipura was raised in Suffolk and graduated magna cum laude from Old Dominion University with a degree in psychology. She joined PETA as an intern in its Norfolk office in 1999. Her more “public-facing” work, as PETA calls it, includes being jailed for disrupting a NewYork fashion show in protest of Michael Kors’ use of fur (which he later banned); burned in effigy by an angry mob after she helped achieve an Indian Supreme Court ban on the use of bulls for entertainment; and “caged” in Nairobi to highlight the plight of chickens killed for food. As president, Joshipura’s priorities include using tech- nology and scientific innovation to eliminate animal exploitation, including replacing elephants allegedly chained in Asian temples with mechanical ones, and using animatronic animals to help educate and encour- age children’s natural empathy toward animals, PETA noted in its press release. She also aims to educate the public about what PETA says, is “the inextricable link between animal exploitation and pandemics, antibiotic resistance, and the climate catastrophe.” “I’m deeply honored to help shape the global future of animal liberation and put compassion on every map in my new role,” Joshipura said. “I will seek to harness technological solutions for animal protection, apply cultural intelligence to advance liberation, and promote the unshakable truth that how we treat animals defines us.” PETA counts among Joshipura’s achievements — convincing Mercedes-Benz to be the first automobile retailer to offer leather-free interiors by special order; stopping a US-based laboratory-animal supplier from setting up a facility in Europe; leading successful ef- forts to ban testing cosmetics and their ingredients on animals in India; and ending the use of horse-drawn carriages in Petra and Mumbai. She is also the author of Survival at Stake: How Our Treatment of Animals Is Key to Human Existence. “Poorva has been an unstoppable force in the ani- mal liberation movement,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “Her extraordinary drive and determination are invaluable in extending our vital efforts to help ani- mals everywhere.” By a StaffWriter PHOTO:CourtesyPETA Poorva Joshipura TIME Magazine Names Indian American 2025 Kid Of The Year T IME and TIME for Kids revealed the 2025 Kid of the Year, on September 9, 2025, “recognizing one exceptional young person making the world a brighter place.” The choice this year is “17-year-old digital defender Tejasvi Manoj from Frisco, Texas.” Manoj is recognized for her service work teaching digital literacy to protect seniors from cybercrime. “I started volunteering in sixth grade…I think it’s re- ally important; if you’re lucky yourself, you want to make sure other people feel loved and lucky too. It just makes me feel really happy, knowing that I can make a differ- ence,” Manoj told TIME. TIME’s SeniorWriter Jeffrey Kluger praising Manoj’s work, is quoted saying in the press release , “The un- named cyber criminals trying to scam seniors out of their money got more than they bargained for when they targeted Tejasvi Manoj’s grandfather back in Febru- ary, 2024…Tejasvi, then a 16-year-old junior…began researching how common such scams—especially ones targeting older Americans—are. Very common, it turns out…Within the year she had built and launched Shield Seniors, a website and, soon, mobile app, designed to educate the 60-plus demographic about what online scams look like, analyze suspicious emails and messages users upload, and, if the communications prove fraudu- lent, provide links to report them.” “At TIME, we regularly profile world leaders and next- generation changemakers. Kid of the Year elevates the very youngest, recognizing their accomplishments as they chart a course toward a brighter future,” said TIME for Kids Editor-in-Chief Andrea Delbanco. “We’re giving kids a platform, and watching them use it to inspire other young people to follow in their footsteps.” To select the 2025 Kid of the Year, TIME editors and writers conducted research to identify stand-out kids in the U.S. ages 8-17. For the first-time, TIME also evalu- ated submissions to the TIME for Kids Service Stars pro- gram, which honors young leaders who are making the world a brighter place. Service Stars, developed in part- nership with The Allstate Foundation, supports all young people to serve and improve communities and shines a light on kids who are positively impacting others. The 2025 TIME Kid of the Year is made possible by exclusive partner The Allstate Foundation, a nonprofit that is committed to empowering youth ages 5 to 25 to serve and improve communities. The 2025 Kid of the Year is available on time.com now and will appear in the September 29 issue of TIME, avail- able on newsstands on Friday, September 19. It will also be featured in the TIME for Kids Service Stars special issue, in classrooms and online at timeforkids.com start- ing September 25. By TIME Press Release Photograph byZerb Mellish forTIME TIME Kid of the Year shows Tejasvi Manoj on Front Page.