Verghese Kurien – The father of the White revolution in India died

Verghese Kurien – The father of the White revolution in India died.

Verghese Kurien(90) popularly known as “Father of the White revolution in India” or the “Milkman of India” passed away on Sept 9th 2012 at Nadiad, Gujarat. He is a key contributor in making India, one of the largest producers of milk. (accounting for 13% of world’s total milk production.)

He is survived by his wife Molly Kurien and daughter Nirmala Kurien.

Background and Education

He was born on 26 November 1921 in Calicut, Kerala, India. His father was a civil surgeon in Cochin, Kerala.

A Physics graduate from Loyola College, Madras, later did his Bachelors in mechanical engineering from College of Engineering, Guindy. He later did metallurgical and nuclear engineering from Michigan State University.

He was trained in dairy technology on a government sponsorship to New Zealand, where he acquired the skills to set up Amul Dairy.

Key Achievements

  1. Invention of more than 200 Amul brands. Major one include the invention of Amul milk powder from buffalo milk.
  2. Appointed the chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1965 to replicate Amul’s “Anand model” nationwide.The Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Ltd. (COMPFED) was established in 1983 as the implementing agency of Operation Flood programme of dairy development on ‘Anand’ pattern in Bihar.
  3. Key contributor in Bihar’s Dairy Movement which potentially led to state’s domestic growth.
  4. Chairman and member of board in various national boards like GCMMF ( Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation) and IRMA (Institute of Rural Management, Anand).

Important Awards and Recognition

This list is huge. The key ones are:

  1. World Food Prize (1989)
  2. Padma Vibhushan (1999)
  3. Ramon Magsaysay Award (1963)

Article Contribution By : Divya