Nirva Patel Shares Her Inspiring Journey as an Animal Rights Activist and Documentary Producer
“Animals have always fascinated me since I was a child. I grew up with two cats and a hamster and later in life had a dog and now two rabbits. “ Today’s woman dreamer, Nirva Patel is an animal rights activist, currently working as a Global Policy Fellow at the Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law and Policy Program at Harvard Law School. A true changemaker, she was an Executive Producer of The Game Changers documentary - a groundbreaking evidence based film featuring elite plant-based athletes. She is also a believer in Jain philosophy of ahimsa (non-violence) and advocates a vegan lifestyle. We are excited to share her journey on Women Who Win!
1. Tell us your story! You are a former corporate lawyer and biomedical engineer, now a passionate advocate for animal welfare. How did you know you wanted to work in the legal sector?
Laws are legacies and as someone who wanted to see lasting change, lasting progress in unfair systems, law school was the only real solution. On a day to day basis, you have a choice to live a very status quo life or lend a hand to those in need - whether people or animals, and I have always been the type to want to help those in need. It is also fascinating to understand that laws are not always set in stone, some work and some need adaptation. The organic nature of lawmaking and policy are incredibly appealing to me - whether I apply such laws to protect inventions in biotech or in advancing the way society views and treats animals.
2. You are a global policy fellow at Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School. How did you get interested in animal welfare? And what are some of the pressing issues in animal welfare you've learned about?
Animals have always fascinated me since I was a child. I grew up with two cats and a hamster and later in life had a dog and now two rabbits. Animals have an incredible relationship with nature, in fact, they are essential components of nature. Humans have taken them out of nature and commoditized them in such cruel ways. I grew up with Jain values which include the principles of ahimsa but also the notion that nature should be preserved and protected. There are so many pressing issues in animal welfare but the most prominent one of our time is the inevitable impact that the rise of animal agriculture in mega economies like India, will have on our environment. As India's dairy industry moves from a coop model to a more industrialized centralized structure, the sheer number of processed animals will grow exponentially and become a solution to India's rapidly growing economy. I think India can do better and this is the perfect time to take our dharmic principles and apply them to disrupt such solutions of scale.
3. In 2018-2019, you were an executive producer of The Game Changers (along with household names including Arnold Schwarznegger, Jackie Chan, Chris Paul and many more). This influential documentary shows the power of a plant-based diet. Do you follow a plant-based diet? What is your advice to others interested in shifting their diets to plant based?
Yes, I am vegan and not only avoid animal ingredients, but also businesses that promote the exploitation of animals. So, no honey, no silk, no leather no gelatin. My advice to others interested in shifting is to think long and hard about the suffering that goes into your food. Think about animals that are inherently designed to live out their lives...the animals who feel joy, have babies. Their desire to live is no different from our desire to live - and ask yourself what gives us the right to get in their way - for a chicken finger? If you can live a life on plants, why not? Let your conscience be your guide!
4. You are certainly a busy woman. How do you relax and unwind? How do you find your work life balance?
I take each day at a time and try to be as present as possible. I also try to be forgiving of myself. If I havent' returned a phone call or prepared dinner, I keep things in perspective. My husband is very supportive and I honestly could not attain my balance without him. I am very grateful. I love yoga - and have recently started up hot yoga again with a close friend. Your mind cannot drift in yoga and you need to be very present. Anything that allows you to be present, is the key.
5. As the platform for women dreamers, what is your next big dream?
I have enjoyed serving on several large animal protection boards and truly enjoy my research at Harvard. I guess my next step would be to write a book or - who knows, lead a non-profit to create great impact for our precious planet. I love bringing people together and elevating voices - generating excitement for common ground. There are so many possibilities!
Thank you Nirva for sharing your inspiring story with us! We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!
BIo: Nirva Patel is a former corporate lawyer and biomedical engineer, now a passionate advocate for animal welfare. She works as a Global Policy Fellow at the Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law and Policy Program at Harvard Law School. Nirva was an Executive Producer of The Game Changers documentary - a groundbreaking evidence based film featuring elite plant-based athletes. Nirva’s passion for animals was predicated by the Jain philosophy of ahimsa (non-violence) and advocates a vegan lifestyle. Nirva has sparked a number of advocacy campaigns individually and advocates for vegan fashion in high profile magazines. Nirva has provided strategic fundraising efforts for numerous non-profit capital & development campaigns in Boston. Currently Nirva serves as Chair on their Board of Directors of Farm Sanctuary, the nation's largest animal protection organization promoting laws and policies that support animal welfare, animal protection, and veganism through rescue, education and advocacy. She also serves on the Board of International Vegan Film Festival. She is a member of the St Jude's Runway to Miracles, Harvard COUR and recently earned her Masters Degree in Animal Law & Public Policy at Tufts University. Nirva is also a certified yoga teacher and advanced scuba diver.