Contributions of Verghese Kurien

Contributions of Verghese Kurien

Context:  November 26, 2021 was the “Milk Man of India” Verghese Kurien’s 100th birth anniversary.

Concept:

• Verghese Kurien was the Founder Chairman of National Dairy Development Board from 1965 to 1998. He is the architect of India’s White Revolution, which helped India emerge as the largest milk producer in the world.
• In the late 60s Dr. Kurien drew up a project called Operation Flood. Through an investment of Rs. 1700 crores spread across 25 years, Operation Flood helped to raise India’s milk production in value terms to Rs. 55000 crores per annum an output.
• It is on that foundation that Kurien went on to design his idea of Amul as a co-operative, turned it over the years into a global brand, and under the leadership of H.M. Dalaya, a distinguished dairy engineer, Amul achieved a breakthrough in converting buffalo milk into skim milk powder and condensed milk. It was one single innovation that gave Amul a distinct competitive advantage and profoundly changed the lives of milk producers in Gujarat and beyond
• Amul continues to remain one of India’s best-known food brands and is an inspiration to other dairy cooperatives such as Nandini in Karnataka, Aavin in Tamil Nadu and Verka in Punjab
• The co-operative model was also influenced by Gandhian thinking on poverty alleviation and social transformation
• Kurien also revolutionized the edible oil business by introducing ‘Dhara’. Launched in 1979, the Oilseeds Grower’s Cooperative Project established a direct link between the producers and consumers of oil thus reducing the role of oil traders and oil exchanges, inorder to stabilize oil prices, provide an incentive to the oilseed grower to raise production and reduce India’s dependence on oil imports.
• He started the Institute of Rural Management (IRMA) at Anand in 1979 to provide management training and research support to the cooperatives being established all over the country. He facilitated the restructuring the National Co-operative Dairy Federation of India, in 1988, to provide a National level body for the country’s State Co-operative dairy federations.
• He also served as Founder Chairman of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, from 1973 to 2006.
• Verghese Kurien won many accolades and awards including the Ramon Magsasay Award for Community Leadership, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, KrishiRatna Award, Wateler Peace Prize Award of Carnegie Foundation, World Food Prize Laureate, International Person of the Year by the World Dairy Expo, Madison, Wisconsin, USA and the Padma Vibhushan.