NEWS

Birth centenary of Dr. Varghese Kurien (Milk Man of India) is celebrated as National Milk Day

ABOUT

• Born in Kozhikode, Kerala (then Madras Presidency) on 26th November 1921
• Graduated from the Tata Steel Technical Institute, Jamshedpur in 1946
• Secured a Government of India scholarship to study in the USA where he acquired a master’s degree in mechanical engineering (metallurgy) from Michigan State University
• Underwent training in dairy technology in 1952-53 from New Zealand which was then very advanced in cooperative dairying
• His mentor – Tribhuvandas Patel
• Established the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd. (Kaira is also spelled Kheda) which was later renamed Amul in 1973
• Amul was a cooperative model of farming and dairying where the farmers were cooperative owners of the organisation while being led and managed by professionals , which impressed a few political leaders who supported them.
• Pioneered the use of buffalo milk to produce skim milk powder which was considered impossible by dairy experts around the globe
• Amazed at the venture’s success, the then Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri asked Kurien to replicate the formula all over the country. As a result, the National Dairy Development Board was set up with Kurien as its head
• Successfully implemented the ‘Operation Flood’ which led to India becoming the leading milk producer of the world surpassing the USA in 1998
• Founded Institute of Rural Management Anand in 1979 to train professionals to manage the cooperatives
• ‘White Revolution’ also led to the development of another brand ‘Mother Dairy’.
• India has instituted Gopala Awards in his Honour