The Hero Behind 1000+ Rescues - The Inspiring Story of Peepal Farm

Jai Shri Krishna, Jai Shri Ramachandra, Jai Shri Lakshmi Narasimha, Sat Shri Akal, and Om Namah Shivaya. Today I have with me one of the most inspiring people I have come across. This is Robin Singh ji and most of us are familiar with his amazing work on saving animals. Most of our viewers also might be cognizant of his amazing efforts towards all animals basically. Many of them who have been suffering a lot in our human world. So rather very inhumane world. I first came across him in 2021. My mother was just going through videos of self-sustainability. Goshala came across his videos and shared it with me. That is when I was really really inspired. Even when we started our Goshalas, we wanted to keep these principles as the cornerstone of taking care of Gaumata. Here we have him. Today I was so fortunate to be with you here and to learn so much from you. So the first thing I wanted to ask you from a very long time was what actually inspired you to get on the ground and do it. People speak about Seva, they speak about animals but I rarely see that getting translated into action. So what inspired you? See it wasn't like I was looking to help animals or do anything great, do anything for humanity. I was searching for my own happiness. So that's why I came to India. Before this I was running a tech company in the US and at one point I got like I have everything I wanted but I wasn't happy. So I was like all the white people come to India, you know, find themselves. I'm from India, I might as well go. So came to India and it was 18 months of trying one thing after the other. It was like, you know, okay, I'm gonna buy a jeep and make travel videos. I was like this is stupid. And then I became a hippie and I'm like this is stupid. And then eventually I gave up on the idea. So I realized that this is a scam. There is no such thing as happiness, at least the way it has been presented to us by our parents, by society and by, you know, the television. And I gave up on the idea and then it was after having given up, I came across a woman and she was taking care of a lot of dogs. She was taking care of 40 to 60 dogs. She was old, anemic and broke. And that's when a shift began because I was like she has nothing and she's still giving and I have everything and I'm still like seeking more, more, more. And so she kind of watered the values that my mom had given me when I was a kid. But I found them really boring like service, follow the path of Vivekananda. So when I saw this woman, I was like, okay, I'm not going to be happy. I might as well follow the path of purpose. So I did it because I couldn't find anything else to do, anything worthwhile doing. That's why I did it. That's why you started this and what gave you the courage and determination to continue? Because people do start as well, but then you don't see them continuing. I heard you started in 2014, if I'm not wrong, 2015 somewhere. I started working in animal welfare in India in 2013 of Feb. People Farm was started 2014 of December. So see for me, it's very easy. I do it because I don't have a choice. You know, I told you that, you know, I had everything I wanted and I did a bit of soul searching. So I realized at that point when I was reading that you have to, whenever you consume something, it has to be produced. Whenever something is produced, there's going to be suffering behind it. Like meat, you can see very obvious there's suffering. For eggs, it's another step removed. For dairy, it's a few more steps removed. Everything else, everything causes suffering because it's going to be farmed or mined and transported to you. It's going to use petrol. It's going to require mining. Everything in modern life causes suffering. So it's like, you know, I became a very minimal person carrying tote bag, water bottles. Eventually, I realized that even living requires consumption. So just by living a very simple life, you're still causing suffering. Now, I believe I'm a good person. A good person wouldn't cause suffering to others. They have empathy. So if by living I'm causing suffering, then either I shouldn't live, which is a scary thought, or you live to reduce suffering. So I believe, you know, if I kill myself, the world will be as horrible as it is, which is very horrible. But if I live in it, I can make it less horrible for at least a few. So either I do this or I die. I don't have a choice. I have a gun to my head. True, true, true. That's really an inspiring way of thinking. In fact, I think you've already done a lot in this direction. You've made a lot. A lot of, you know, so many of these poor souls are living a better life because of your efforts. So I think from the perspective of a normal person like me, I'd say you've gone above and beyond what you could do. And you're doing more than that as well. So normally I see that people, all humans are born with some degree of compassion. But the problem is that they extend it selectively to only a few species. Or they extend it to, you know, a certain, they just have a particular radius of extension, just extending that. For example, some, primarily when we talk about animal welfare, it's equated with just dogs and cats, primarily. Because, you know, there's a stronger emotional connection with them. So probably they feel, you know, that stronger connection. And it rarely translates into any other living being, including those who feel, if not more pain, at least equal pain to dogs and cats. And similarly, I see for other species as well, there is selectivism. So how, what kind of philosophy did you embody to make sure that your compassion extends to so many animals? For those of you who know, the people farm takes care of several animals, right? You have cows, buffaloes, dogs, cats. We say big or small, we love them all. I saw that at the gate and that's beautiful. Excellent. So what's your question? The question was, what kind of philosophy actually made you feel that, okay, now we have to extend this to all animals? Okay, so see, on your point, we are all born with a spark of empathy. Depends on which household you're born in, you know, so the spark will vary in intensity. But then it's, did your parents fan that spark into a fire or did they extinguish it? Yes. What are you talking about? Just worry about money, just worry about career, what are you thinking? So there is that. So that empathy is there in some individuals. Some of them, a lot of them lose connection with that empathy, you know, and the way luck had it, I got reconnected to it. And I got reconnected to it and then when I started thinking, you know, others suffer by living, I cause suffering, it extended to all the beings, everybody capable of feeling pain, because I find pain to be absolutely bad. Because, see, you can think about, say money, is economic upliftment good? Maybe, maybe not, depends. You turn a village into a city, maybe you didn't do the best thing, right? Is saving lives a good thing? Sometimes it is, sometimes it's not. The person you save, when they eat animals, did you actually do something good? I don't know. So I wanted to go with the most absolute thing which is going to be good for everyone, which is reducing physical pain. Which is why even for people from, I say, we are in the business of reducing suffering. The lives we save are a side effect. So it has to, by its definition, it has to extend to every being capable of feeling pain. Doesn't matter whether they can speak or not, doesn't matter whether they are smart or not, or whether they are cute or not. Exactly, exactly, that is exactly how we should think, in my humble opinion. It's easier to think about it, if you think about a kid who is differently abled and cannot talk or is born where they are not as cute as all the other babies. So do they deserve less? Are they, right? So the only thing is, are they capable of feeling pain? So that's the only parameter. Yes, absolutely, that is very helpful. And a significant proportion of our audience is youth, basically. And what would you tell them? Because I also read on your website as well as some parts of your book, which I started reading today, that your purpose is now to inspire others. Because you realize that only this much can be done by one person or two people. So what would you suggest to the wider group of people watching this video? What can they do in their own way to help the animals and other suffering beings out? See, I'll answer this question in two parts. One, my purpose for more than a decade has been the same, reducing suffering. Inspiring others is part of the strategy, it's part of the methodology. It's like, we're going to do service, so we see somebody in pain, we will help them. We will do awareness, so we can change how people look at animals. We want to challenge the thought process that animals are objects for us to use. Just the way people looked at black people once, that they are slaves, they can be used. People looked at women that way. And what is a common term for a girl in Delhi, maal. That's the term they use for sheep here. It's objectification, that's what we want to challenge. So, service, awareness. Third is, because there's only so much service you can do, there's only so much awareness you can do. Third is, inspiring others to do one, two and three. So, it's part of the strategy. That's why we are called people farm. Like, the people tree will get big, but eventually a bird will come, take the fruit, drop it elsewhere. There would be another people tree there. So, what will I tell the youth? I'll say, start small. Look at your lifestyle, you're causing some suffering. Reduce whatever you can. Don't think of being perfect. Start small. How do you start eating roti or a dosa? You take a bite. So, start small. Reduce whatever you are doing bad to start doing something good. It could be anything. Just make a habit, like everyday if you pass an anthill, I'm going to put some biscuit chura there. Start small. Or carry, or you have an empty plastic bottle, fill it with water, take it with you. So, you see a kid on a traffic signal, they don't get clean water. They get money, they get fruit, they don't get clean water. So, start small. And then three, tell others about it. Everybody is posting about their BMWs and Audis and fancy vacations on Instagram. You talk about, hey, do less bad, do more good and inspire others. Absolutely amazing. So, basically how you got inspired towards this was through the search for happiness, right? Yeah. That's actually very interesting because from a spiritual perspective, we look at this from an angle that, you know, in the several births before this particular birth that you've been in, you've probably been doing a lot of very auspicious things just like this. Helping out with people in distress, animals in distress and everything. And then in this birth, you've actually gotten the opportunity to carry that out into action. So, I feel that, you know, all of us have some purpose like this in our lives. And we can realize it if we really put in the effort. So, I would also recommend our viewers today to read the book behind the history of how this happened. Because, yeah, the name of the book is Happiness Happens. And it's, you know, we also did start a goshala. And at the moment also it is running in a way that we treat Gomata just like, you know, friends and family. It's just a private little goshala with hardly about, you know, 15 to 20 cows, including little calves as well. And it had been hard throughout. But when I saw, when I saw Robinji's efforts, I was like, okay, we haven't even touched the surface of what we can do for animals. I feel, you know, that was very inspiring. And I always have this deep desire within myself that I should do something more for those who are suffering. That should be the only business that should exist. You told me that you're in the business of reducing suffering. That should be the only business of human beings in an ideal world. Because we are the only ones capable of doing it. That's why we are the only ones who can break out of this, you know, by helping others. But look, we all do whatever is within our abilities, within our resources, within our circumstances. So there's no like, oh, I'm only doing this much, this guy is doing this much, there's none of that. But at the same time, we have to keep pushing the boundary to do more, more, more. In fact, when you gave my introduction, I felt a little disappointed. You know, you find me so inspirational. You find me inspirational for doing something which is basic decency. What am I doing? I'm doing, I don't want to hurt others. I don't want to do anything to them that I don't want to be done to me. Basic decency. I want to help them the way I would want to be helped if I were in that situation. Basic decency. So I do these basic things and I am, I become inspirational. That's a commentary on the kind of society we are living in. Absolutely, absolutely. That's very true, very true. And I think a lot of youth have already deeply involved with your projects in the sense they are following you on social media. And some of them even, you know, it's translating into action. You have a lot of people who are working here and everything else. There's one right behind the camera here. Yes, yes, yes. Absolutely, absolutely. And that's also very inspiring. And secondly, how do you think an average person, young person or even in their 30s or 40s can involve with this project of helping out animals? Like how can they directly involve? Like you mentioned a few steps. But then if someone is capable of doing more, you mentioned that, you know, you can just go and put some milk to an animal. I didn't say milk, biscuit. So you give some biscuits to ants, etc. But which is, how would you actually advise the youth or anyone else to actively involve with this if they have more capabilities? So it's a longer answer. It's like, you know, it depends on what is it you want to do. You specifically want to do animal welfare, I would say start with volunteering with a rescue. Correct. So you learn the ropes, you see what all is there. So the way we started, like, you know, as an individual, you feed, you give water, you give like a bori where they can sleep on in winters. Now you want to, you scale up your efforts. So you learn first aid. You learn first aid, you volunteer with a rescue, they teach you first aid. You start going on the streets. So there are people who feed animals. And, you know, they call you, this animal got injured. You go there, you go there on a scooty, you treat the wound. You prevent it from becoming a maggot wound. If there's a maggot wound, you clean it, you prevent it from getting infected. Whatever you can do on the street. So they start there. Then you will find cases that eventually they have had, you know, they were in an accident, they have a fracture. They can't be left on the street. They need a recovery center, like a hospital bed. So you can start a recovery center. Again, depends on your resources, depends on your circumstances. Once you have a recovery center, you think, you know what, every time I am taking an animal, I have to take the animal to the clinic, the vets are charging so much, the private vets, you know, horrible, horrible charges. So, you know what, I'm going to start my own clinic. So that has been our journey of starting this organization. Now, there are other ways too. You can foster. Let's say you are a working professional. You can't, you don't have time to uproot your life, start something like Weeper Farm. But you can foster an animal. What happens is a rescue would have a case, a dog that's almost healed, needs a few more weeks, but then they can bring a much more horrible case in, if this dog could be released. So this dog, you can foster, just do the last batch of antibiotics, whatever. So you can help that way. Then it depends on, let's say you don't want to directly work with animals, you have different abilities. So Vishali here, you know, she is a videographer. So now she is helping us in a different way. She is helping our message get out. Then Kartik, one of our editors, he helped make a video yesterday that helped another woman in another part of Himachal, Dolma Jean Kinnaur, raise funds. So you use your abilities, whichever way, it's going to benefit the organization, as long as everything is pulling in that one direction. I see seven ways of changing the world. Six are very relevant. Change the education system. Every generation passes through it. Now changing doesn't mean you change it. You start going to one school, start doing classes. You do service, which is again helping animals. You do awareness, videos. You do innovation. You can make something. This woman made slaughterhouse lions run zigzag, which reduced panic in the animals. The factories embraced it because it meant more profit for them, but the animals suffered less emotionally. That's innovation. That made a worse, like a horrible thing slightly better. You do enterprise, like the people who are, you know, the guy who invented ballpoint pen. At that point, a pen was a hundred dollars. Literacy rates were down because pen is so expensive. Nobody can afford to write. So BIC, the company, they made the pen so cheap and accessible to everyone. That changed the world. So that's, and then another is policy change. Like right now we don't have too many laws for animals. So putting more policy. So these are six ways. Great. Excellent. These are really, really helpful. And so for policy particularly, because correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that is also one of the points where, you know, this whole chain of suffering starts because people come together, they take a collective action and that results in more suffering. So how do you actually plan to change this in some way, at least to minimize the suffering for animals particularly? See, depending on the issue, some changes require bottom-up approach, some require top-down. Like environment is a top-down thing. It can only be helped by policy. You and I start saying, we're going to take short showers, we're going to bike everywhere. Won't make a difference because we know that most people won't do it. And with environment, unless everybody does it, it's going to be polluted. And it's not even just everybody in India, it's everybody in the world because the pollution of Pakistan and Nepal is not going to just stay there. So that requires a top-down approach globally. Things like meat, dairy, we as individuals can make our voices heard because we cast our vote by our note, where we put our money. So stop giving your money to dairy businesses, stop giving your money to slaughterhouses, stop giving your money to poultry businesses and you are making a difference. Excellent, excellent. That's very, very helpful. And did you face any major hurdles during the journey? I heard you saying that initially you saw veterinary hospitals charging oversized fees to take care of hurt and injured animals. I myself experienced this with one of the calves at our place was seriously injured. Then the way the system is constructed is that when the vet came to take care of the animal, he actually did not have any intent to take care of the animal. He treated it like a commodity. He just objectified it, just took it and swang its head around from one direction to the other. We wanted him to check if it was a fracture and he just swung the head around and that resulted in more pain and unfortunately didn't survive. He treated it so horribly. I shouldn't tell this about a vet because ultimately we look at them with a lot of respect in society. But what kind of hurdles did you face? Did you see these kinds of things in society which made you set this up? Yeah, practically the biggest hurdle is people, finding good people. Now even when you are running a business, it's hard enough to find good people and retain them. Even when you are making money and you are spreading money around, it's hard. So imagine running a non-profit, you need people who are invested in the work to some degree and finding them and retaining them. So that is the biggest thing. Personally, individually, my biggest challenge was a lifestyle withdrawal. It's one thing to rationally decide I want to do good and when you start doing good, you feel horrible because you have all your life been used to feeling good by pleasure. You want to go out for drinks, you want to smoke up, you want to go for a drive, let's go buy something, let's go on a vacation. So that's what our source of feel good has been. Then you come to a village and you say I want to do good and then you are crying yourself to sleep every night. What the hell did I do to my life? And then you are like I don't want to do this but then that white angel sitting here then says yeah what about suffering footprint and you are like damn it, I have to do this. So it took a few years for me to adjust. That was my personal challenge. I am glad I stuck because I wouldn't want to live any other way. It's not for the animals, nothing, even personally I wouldn't want to live any other way. At the same time, even if I wasn't feeling this good, I would still be doing this work because this is the right thing to do. And yes, once again I would like to tell all our viewers, please ingrain these principles as part of your life in some small way or the other and gradually keep scaling it up to small things. Of course we should start with them but not be stuck there. We should keep upscaling as much as we can. And this is such an inspirational person and we must follow in these footsteps of course because there is no other way to actually help so many animals which are suffering. We live in a world where we just blind ourselves. There are families in several parts of this country and around the world that purposefully blind their children to the idea of compassion. They refuse to tell their children that the animal is suffering pain and this is also a person. This is also a living being just like you. We are born with that in some way or the other. I have seen this. You have these festivals where animals are cut and the children are forced to sit while the process is being done. And that's so horrific because their sense of compassion is numbed to such an extent that they stop feeling pain for it. And then when you have one child, 100,000 children like this, continually being added to society, the problem just gets worse. So it starts in a house as you rightly mentioned. The education system, the household, the parents ingraining these values, I think that's where the change should begin. And anyone listening to this, please, please take the step of telling your children how important it is to look at the animal or any other living being in front of you just as you would look at yourself and your family. So thank you so much for these insights and the inspiration and I will definitely make sure this message goes out to our viewers out there. You are doing an amazing work. I would say Bhagavan's work himself. Thank you. Thank you so much. Namaskaram.