Thread by @_AnsumanRath

26th November 2021 is the 100th Birth Anniversary of The Milkman Of India - Verghese Kurien. Tributes to The Father of India's Milk Revolution Dr Kurien - a deserving Bharat Ratna in the truest sense but never was decorated with this prestigious award.1/8 #100YearsrsofDrKurien

Dr Kurien who was born in 1921 completed his engineering from Tata Steel Technical Institute,Jamshedpur, after receiving his engineering degree from Guindy Engg College.Dr Kurien wanted to join the Defence Services, but his mother/family wished otherwise. Tata's Loss India's Gain

Aided by a government scholarship, Dr Kurien did his Master's in Metallurgical Engineering from US, prior to that he had studied dairy engineering (his vocation) at now NDRI/Bengaluru. Post his return, GOI posted him at Anand (at a Govt run dairy unit). 3/8
#100YearsofDrKurien

Meetings with Tribhuvandas Patel (Amul Diary) led Dr Kurien to join the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producer's Union Limited in 1949-50 giving fillip to this movement as a counter to Polson's Diary. Success of KDCMPUL spread across Gujarat establishing Amul as a brand.4/8

Soon the successful model of Amul/GCMF got replicated in other states across India and also led to formation of National Dairy Development Board. The USP of Anand Dairy was farmer to consumer model, benefiting the milk farmer & converting surplus milk to skimmed powder. 5/8

190 thousand dairy co-operatives across India are now reaping the benefits of the dairy movement started by Dr Kurien in 1950s. It would be fair to say Dr Verghese Kurien will be the greatest social entrepreneur in India's history. #100YearsofDrKurien 6/8

India is today the biggest milk producer in the World due to the Milk Revolution or Operation Flood. Interestingly, the same model has also helped India attain self dependency in edible oil today. 26th Nov 2021 is also celebrated as #NationalMilkDay
#100YearsofDrKurien 7/8

The longest running ad campaign in India - Amul's Utterly Butterly Delicious with the Amul Girl owes itself to Dr Kurien. Surabhi on DD National was supported by Dr Kurien. Shyam Benegal's Manthan was a lovely tribute to the Dairy Revolution led by Dr Kurien. 8/8

Images @ACKComics & @Amul_Coop topicals. Research source - articles in the public domain.