It turns out many more people are abandoning vegetarianism in India, which seems to run counter to what is happening in many other countries where people are turning away from meat, reports CNN.

This is a big deal because India is still among the lowest meat consumers in the world.

"They aren't just eating it, they are also talking a lot more about it," says Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, a popular Indian food writer and consultant. "It's cooler to talk about being a meat lover than a vegetable lover!"

Economy Drives Meat Appetite

She says Indians are developing new tastes because their incomes have grown, India's economy is slowly heading in the right direction again; people are earning more, they are travelling more and are being exposed to new, international cuisines.

There's also a lot more food available in India these days. When I was growing up in Kolkata, food options were limited to chicken, goat meat and whatever fish was available in the Hooghly River that ran through the city.

Healthy Option?

There are many reasons Indians are turning to chicken. Top of the list is the perception that it's healthy.

People are generally more conscious about eating right and eating healthy foods, especially the younger generation, Ms Zorabian says.

Given that 100 grams of chicken gives you more protein than 100 grams of cooked lentils, many people are turning to the white meat.