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Doctor Zeeshan Ali and the Physicians Committee Educate Over 750 Medical Students and Culinary Experts in India About Benefits of Plant-Based Diet
Zeeshan Ali, PhD, Kickstart India program specialist for the Physicians Committee, shares his day-by-day journey throughout India, where he visited four cities and educated more than 750 medical students, as well as faculty and administrators, and culinary industry experts about the health benefits of a vegan diet for fighting diseases linked to the influence of the meat-heavy Western diet.
Western diets focused on meat and fast food are increasingly displacing traditional Indian cuisine rich in vegetables and legumes, leading to epidemics of diet-related disease like diabetes and heart disease. The Physicians Committee aims to educate medical and culinary experts about the importance of a healthful plant-based diet.
Zeeshan Ali, PhD, Kickstart India Program Specialist
Nov. 21: DY Patil School of Hospitality and Tourism, Mumbai
In partnership with Vegan Outreach and celebrity chef Rieshu Sharma, Dr. Ali hosted a lunch and learn event that reached 150 students studying hospitality and tourism. Dr. Ali’s lecture focused on the benefits of a plant-based diet and how fats in animal-based foods contribute to diabetes and heart disease.
Nov. 28: GMERS Medical College, Ahmedabad
Dr. Ali gave his second lecture at GMERS Medical College in Ahmedabad on Nov. 28. This event was made possible in collaboration with Animal Save Movement. Two hundred medical students and faculty members attended the talk. The talk was followed by a lunch that included khajoor rolls with nuts, vegan chaas, and vegan biryani.
Nov. 30: Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), Delhi
Dr. Ali gave his third lecture at Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi. LHMC, established in 1916, is an all-women’s college and one of the finest medical colleges of India. In collaboration with Global Association of Indian Medical Students (GAIMS) the Physicians Committee made it a CME event. The lecture was attended by 200 medical students from LHMC and Maulana Azad Medical College and was attended by all the faculty members of the department of medicine and department of dietetics at LHMC.
Dec. 1: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh
Dr. Ali gave his fourth lecture at AIIMS in Rishikesh. Rishikesh is a city in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand, in the Himalayan foothills beside the Ganges River. He lectured to 200 medical students and faculty members at AIIMS. The lecture was followed by a plant-based lunch that included coconut milk kheer, vegetable pulav, and Punjabi choley.
