Actor and Influencer Vishnu Kaushal Among Winners of PETA India’s Compassionate Young Entrepreneur Awards

Posted on January 10, 2025 at 10:32 pm by Erika Goyal

For National Youth Day (12 January), PETA India is recognising five trailblazers aged 30 years or younger with the second edition of its “Compassionate Young Entrepreneur Award.” For their advocacy for animals through enterprise, innovation or investment in vegan food, cosmetics or fashion, the winners are:

Vishnu Kaushal (27, Chandigarh): Actor and influencer Vishnu Kaushal gained widespread recognition for his witty, relatable comic videos that capture the quirks of everyday life. In addition to his content creation, he founded Peach By Vishnu, a clothing brand that offers a range of stylish, vegan-friendly products including t-shirts, cargo pants, hoodies and cloth bags. Known for its sustainability, the brand reflects Vishnu’s commitment to conscious fashion and individuality.

Priyasha Saluja (29, Delhi NCR): A self-taught plant-based chef and certified hormone health coach, Priyasha is the visionary behind The Cinnamon Kitchen, a pioneering brand in India’s plant-based food space. A 100% gluten-free, preservative-free, refined sugar-free, and flour-free D2C brand, The Cinnamon Kitchen is now venturing into the retail and quick commerce markets. With plans to expand to outlets across Delhi and the National Capital Region, Priyasha has also gained recognition by featuring in Shark Tank season three, showcasing her innovative approach to healthy eating.

Karishma Kewalramani (29, Mumbai): Founded by Karishma in late 2019, FAE Beauty is a proudly vegan and cruelty-free brand dedicated to creating products without any animal-derived ingredients. After her education in California, Karishma was inspired to establish a brand in India that reflects her values of authentic and unfiltered inclusivity while offering effective yet affordable products for Indian skin.

Photo credit: karishma___kk

Jaideep Prajapati (27, Mumbai): RIJAC’s journey began with a powerful realization by its founder, Jaideep Prajapati. Understanding the immense suffering animals endure for leather production and the devastating environmental toll of the industry, Jaideep recognized an urgent need for change. He envisioned a future where no animal would be slaughtered for fashion. This vision gave rise to RIJAC, a brand with a bold mission: to redefine luxury by creating stylish, sophisticated, cruelty-free handbags. Through RIJAC, Jaideep has proven that fashion can be ethical and exquisitely elegant.

Kaushik Vardan (29, Mumbai): Kaushik, an industrial designer with a background in engineering, always harboured a creative passion that set him apart from the conventional path. After exploring diverse projects in both engineering and design, he realized his dream of combining knowledge from these fields to create something innovative. This journey led to the founding of Recore India, a plant-based leather company, dedicated to creating high-quality, cruelty-free materials. Their mission is to reduce the environmental impact of fashion while providing innovative, bio-based materials that inspire conscious choices.

Every person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals a year a miserable life and a terrifying death in the meat, egg, and dairy industries. Those who avoid items made of leather protect cows, buffaloes and other animals from having their throats slit often while they are conscious, and buying only vegan cosmetics spares rabbits and other animals suffering in cruel tests such as those in which chemicals are rubbed into their eyes or on their skin.