Rajneesh Duggal – Grasim Mr India 2003 and the new face of Raymond suitings – isn't shy about showing off his love for veggies. The star of the upcoming film 1920 wears his love for greens on his sleeve, or to be more accurate, on his back, in a sexy new ad campaign for PETA India. Beneath the tagline "Body by Bhindi", the vegetarian model-turned-actor bares his toned body to reveal a brilliant green tattoo of his favourite vegetable – a lady's finger. The ad was shot by celebrated photographer and fellow-vegetarian Jatin Kampani.

Nominated as one of the Hottest Vegetarians Alive in a PETA India Web poll, Rajneesh became a vegetarian 12 years ago after seeing chickens that were being chopped up in a butcher shop. "It was really gross and made me feel sick", he says. "After hearing about the cruelty involved [in raising and killing animals for food], I have begun advocating vegetarianism to all my friends."

A state-level judo champion and the best athlete in his school, Rajneesh says, "One doesn't have to eat meat and eggs to get enough protein. You have soya for that, and legumes and pulses are packed with protein. I watch meat-eaters struggling with their weight, but I have no trouble keeping [fit]".

Millions of chickens spend their entire lives confined to tiny battery cages in huge factory warehouses, which contain as many as 1,500 to 2,000 cages. Each cage holds six to seven birds who are packed together so tightly they cannot even stretch a wing. Nine-day-old chicks have their sensitive beaks cut off with a searing blade in a process called debeaking. Hens to lose their feathers because of stress and constant rubbing against the wire cages – their bodies become covered with bruises, abrasions and boils.

Eating meat is not only bad for your health but it is also disastrous for environment. In a groundbreaking 2006 report, the United Nations (UN) determined that "raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined". Senior UN Food and Agriculture Organisation official Henning Steinfeld reported that the meat industry is "one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems".

Nitrous oxide is about 300 times more potent as a global-warming gas than carbon dioxide. According to the UN, the meat, egg and dairy industries account for a staggering 65 per cent of worldwide nitrous-oxide emissions.

Unfortunately, too many Indians eat a fatty, cholesterol-laden, meat-based diet. As a result, India now has one of the highest rates of heart disease and diabetes in the world. Studies show that meat consumption is directly connected to rise in cardiovascular diseases, strokes and several types of cancer. For that reason alone, millions of people all over the world are choosing to go vegetarian.

"The best thing you can do for animals, Mother Earth and your own well-being is to go vegetarian", says Rajneesh. "It doesn't take a lot [of effort], and the rewards are long-lasting and bountiful."

For more information and to view the ad, please visit www.petaDishoom.com.

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Animal rights orgainsation based in mumbai, India