Page 9 - NIS English, 16-30 November,2022

Dr Verghese Kurien Personality

Milk Union Limited). In 1956, Amul started processing 1
MILK PRODUCTION lakh liters of milk daily. Now Amul's products from Gujarat
started being sold in other states. When production
IN INDIA increased, Dr. Kurien set up a plant for cattle feed in

Kheda. The then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri
arrived for its inauguration. Here he was surprised to see
the prosperity of the milk producers in Kheda. He asked
Kurien to come to Delhi after making a plan to find ways
to replicate the success of the Kheda model in the whole
country. Thus, in 1965, the National Milk Development
209.96 Board (NDDB) was established, whose function was to
form cooperative milk societies and unions across the
country in line with the Anand model. Kurien became the
chairman of the board. In 1969, when the Government
121.8 of India announced the Operation Flood program for
the development of the dairy industry in the country,
80.6 the need for a public sector company was felt for the
smooth distribution of government resources. Thus the
53.9 Dairy Corporation of India (IDC) came into existence in
1970. In October 1987, NDDB was reorganized and IDC
31.6 was absorbed into it. 'Operation Flood' was implemented
20 22 in three phases. In the first phase, Dr. Kurien built about
17 13 dairy plants across the country and established one
1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2021 cattle feed plant. The second phase started in 1980 and
lasted till 1990. During this period, Kurien established
about 170 dairy plants and 32 cattle feed plants across
the country. Then came the third and final phase of
Figures in Million Tonnes "Operation Flood". It started in 1990. Under it, those
Dairy Cooperative Societies were identified, that were
not functioning properly. Efforts were made to improve
request. He was preparing to leave Kheda. When their conditions by setting up a separate fund for them.
Tribhuvan Das Patel came to know about this, he Milk vending machines were installed in various parts
immediately reached Varghese Kurien along with the of the country to make getting milk easier for people.
farmers. After much deliberation, Dr. Kurien decided Large containers of milk were installed at the shops. In
to join the Kheda District Co-operative Milk Producer's 1997 "Operation Flood" was completed. This helped in
Union. On 1 January 1950, he joined it as a manager. providing good quality milk at the right prices in more
The biggest challenge before Verghese Kurien as than 700 cities in India, while the animal husbandry
manager was the growing number of milk-producing sector also became a major source of income. During
farmers. With the farmers joining continuously, there Operation Flood, India shed its tag of the milk deficient
was so much inflow of milk that it was not being country to be recognized as one of the largest producers
consumed. Until that time, in Europe and New Zealand, of milk. In 1998, India became the largest producer of
the oversupply of milk was converted into milk powder. milk in the world.
Europeans and New Zealanders used to say that For his accomplishments, the world called Verghese
only cow's milk could be made into powdered and Kurien the father of the white revolution. The journey
condensed milk. But Kurien and his friend and partner that started with annual milk production of 17 million
HM Dalaya surprised the world by making skim milk tonnes in 1951 has reached 209.96 million tonnes in
powder and condensed milk from buffalo milk. 2021. Kurien was awarded the Padma Vibhushan by
Kurien's modern education and techniques the Government of India in 1999. He was honored with
combined with the traditional skills and empirical awards like Ramon Magsaysay and World Food Prize.
knowledge of the farmers revolutionized this sector. National Milk Day is celebrated on his birthday on 26
Now the committee was able to make a wide range of November to remember his contribution to India's White
dairy products from butter and cream to cheese. In Revolution. In the year 2012, at the age of 90, Verghese
1955, when the time came to decide on the brand name
of Cooperative Dairy, Dr Kurien named it Amul (Anand Kurien left for the heavenly abode.
New India Samachar November 16-30, 2022 7