Anushka Sharma has been named the PETA 2017 Person of the Year

Bollywood superstar and vegetarian Anushka Sharma has been named the PETA 2017 Person of the Year for her wide-reaching work for animals.

"Anushka Sharma is a proud animal rights proponent whose kindness and initiative know no bounds," said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Associate Director Sachin Bangera in a statement today.

The actor has also taken to Twitter to demand a ban on cruel carriage rides in Mumbai where often-lame horses are forced to haul passengers in all weather extremes without adequate rest, food or water, PETA said, adding Sharma lives with her beloved adopted dog Dude.

Past recipients of PETA's Person of the Year Award include politician Dr Shashi Tharoor, former Supreme Court Judge K S Radhakrishnan Panicker and actors Kapil Sharma, Hema Malini, R Madhavan, and Jacqueline Fernandez.