Chennai has bagged this year’s ‘Most Vegan-Friendly City’ award by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, according to a Times of India report.

PETA India has already despatched the certificate and letter thanking commissioner of Chennai Municipal Corporation D Karthikeyan for facilitating an environment in which vegan-friendly establishments flourish in the city.

“This is the third year that we are giving out this award. Bengaluru won the award in the first year while Pune received it last year,” Times of India quoted a PETA officer as saying.

Vegan-friendly eateries and clothing stores such as The Alternate, Monkstory have become very popular in the city where collectives of compassionate people such as ‘Tamil Vegan Movement’ and ‘Vegans of Chennai’ could be found. Besides, a vegan adventure tour company ‘VegVoyage’ too conducts potluck dinners in the city.

“Global interest in the vegan lifestyle has never been higher, and Chennai is leading the country in responding to it,” PETA India CEO Dr Manilal Valliyate was quoted as saying by the Times of India.