Gaurav bats for animals

Chopraa talks about the need to create awareness about animal welfare in the society and how it “benefits human beings” in the big scheme of things

We don’t really understand the part animals play in our lives,” says Gaurav Chopraa, who recently attended Let’s Talk seminar held in Lucknow recently on animal welfare and how we should look at our relationship with other species.

Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development, Maneka Gandhi also gave a speech at the event, which inspired the Uttaran actor.

“In the age of internet, it’s enlightening to hear facts and figures from people who have spent their lives working for our better future. Nature has a way to function beautifully where everything is linked. Humans don’t have the right to behave like God, as we don’t know how important a little animal might be in the big scheme of things,” he says. Gaurav has been vocal about animal welfare and environment related issues on social media in the past.

The actor says he is interested to know about “what everyone can do to save the planet” and “how to put it in practice, rather than just preaching it”.

“In her speech, Manekaji spoke about many things we overlook. For example, people want to get rid of stray dogs and cats but they help keep the rats in check. So now, I’ll talk about the importance of stray dogs to my society members also. In the history of mankind, whenever humans have got rid of stray dogs, it has eventually led to plague.

Basically, everything is connected. Everything in our lives and the universe is playing a part. We don’t understand or think about them and want to do away with them. By the time we realise their value, it’s too late,” he says, adding that many such examples were shared at the seminar, which had 400 students in attendance.

Gaurav spoke about two things at the seminar. “The first one was how we should be kind to animals. There are people who have pets and feel for animals, and then there are others who might not have pets but have compassion for them. My second point was for people who are sitting on the fence regarding animal welfare but when they learn how animals have positive affects in their lives, they are game for it. They just need to be told that how protecting animals eventually protects them. I spoke to kids about how I am a vegetarian yet fit and they related to it. We need to inform people who don’t care about animal welfare about its benefits and urge them to care for it,” he says.

In the history of mankind, whenever humans have got rid of stray dogs, it has eventually led to plague. GAURAV CHOPRAA, ACTOR