India, Sept. 10 -- Scrolling through Instagram the other day, I came across a video that has been haunting me since. In a flood-ravaged village of Punjab, a boat carrying relief workers floated past a cow and her calf tied to a post, their legs submerged in muddy water. The trough lay empty, and the animals looked bewildered, as if questioning where their humans had gone. I couldn't help thinking of the families forced to flee, leaving behind the companions they had tended to daily.

Anyone who has grown up in rural Punjab knows the farmer's bond with his cattle. These are not mere animals; they are silent companions, routine, and wealth all rolled into one. Farmers feed them with their own hands, keep them groomed, and even call them by ...