Dr.Verghese Kurien's contribution to the welfare of the farmer and development of the BIHAR is immeasurable. He was an icon of cooperative movement in Bihar and the dairy industry.

Dr.Verghese Kurien was an Indian engineer and renowned social entrepreneur, best known as the "Father of the White Revolution",

 

Born: November 26, 1921, Kozhikode

 

Died: September 9, 2012, Nadiad

 

Spouse: Molly

 

Education: University of Madras, Michigan State University, Loyola College, Chennai, College of Engineering, Guindy

 

Awards: Padma Vibhushan

Thank U for giving us a dream,
Thank U for showing us a way,
Thank U for guuiding us to better the

Lives of million of farmers,
As e remember all that U have done for us.
We remain dedicated to pursuing & achiving
your vision,
We remain Committed to reaching out to
many more lives.

 

Father of the White Revolution and the founder of the cooperative dairy movement, is also hailed as an iconic figure who transformed Bihar and gave the milk revolution to the state. In fact, he made the ordinary "doodh  wala" (milkman) here a key player in the state's struggle for economic development and progress at the grassroots level and was also instrumental in laying the foundation of democratic enterprises at remote villages and far-flung hamlets.

 Recalling Kurien's enormous contributions to the field of rural development and dairying, Patna Dairy Project's managing director Sudhir Singh, who had a rewarding association with him said, "Kurien's contribution to the welfare of the farmer and development of the state is immeasurable. He was an icon of cooperative movement in Bihar and the dairy industry. He had also been the chairman of the PDP management committee for four consecutive years."

It is because of Kurien that Bihar today contributes about 7% of the total milk production of the country, said PDP sources. From 500 litres of milk a day, the total production of COMPFED today is 12 lakh litres a day in which PDP alone contributes around 3 lakh litres a day, 

It all happened in the early 80s when two units---a cattle feed plant and a dairy at Phulwarisharif---set up by the Bihar State Dairy Corporation under the Operation Flood programme in the year 1977 and 1978, 
 failed to achieve the desired result. Though the progress in the initial years was encouraging, the programme, for obvious reasons could not achieve the goals for which it was established. Subsequently, the then state government felt it worthwhile to request the founder of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Kurien for taking over the infrastructure created on management basis.

The NDDB took over the management of the infrastructure with effect from October 1, 1981 under the banner of Patna Dairy Project (PDP). However, Kurien laid certain conditions before the takeover like the plant should be free from all political interference and all surplus employees be absorbed by the state government. "He also demanded uninterrupted power supply," said the PDP MD, who was also a part of Kurien's team here.


"From October 30 to December 14, 1981 all milk supply was stopped and on December 15, for the first time PDP started selling 500 litres of packaged milk under the brand name Sudha. Everything was done under the strict supervision of Kurien and till date the team formed by him is continuing with PDP," said Singh.

Kurien also laid emphasis on the fact that majority of the team members should stay in villages in close contact with the farmers. His greatest contribution was to give a position of pre-eminence to a farmer and his or her interests rather than those of middlemen. He strongly believed that by placing technology and professional management in the hands of the farmers, the living standards of millions of rural poor could be improved, he said.
Almost after every six months he used to visit PDP and held board meetings. It was in the year 1983, when the Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation Ltd. (COMPFED) was established as the implementing agency of Operation Flood programme of dairy development on 'Anand' pattern in Bihar. Today six district-level milk producers' cooperative unions are affiliated to the Milk Federation.

It was in July 1988 that Kurien handed over PDP's state of affairs to the state government which, in turn, handed it over to the Vishal Pataliputra Dughdh Utpadak Sangh, one of the milk unions of COMPFED.