He is also known as Milkman of India. Kurien set up the Anand model of cooperative dairy development, engineered white revolution in India and transformed India from a milk deficient country to the largest milk producer in the world.
After returning from US, having studied Dairy Engineering under government scholarship, he was posted in Anand where he decided to work for a while. He wanted to leave soon after that. But under the guidance of Mr. Tribhuvandas Patel he realized the power in the idea of all milk producers cooperating and pooling their resources to build a better life and achieving what they could never achieve alone. Together they began working on this model with all their energy and determination. It was this idea that brought out the White Revolution.
Kurien was responsible for the creation and success of the Amul brand of dairy products managed by Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation which today is jointly owned by 3.03 million milk producers in Gujarat. After the key invention of milk powder from buffalo milk, there was no stopping to the growth in dairy sector in India.
It was after he was appointed founder-chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1965, to replicate Amul's model nationwide he started the revolution. He founded 30 institutions in some of the major states organizing farmers into cooperatives. In this process he faced many challenges from the politicians as they didn't believe that Indian farmers were capable of managing their own business. On being questioned the same by Indira Gandhi he proudly acclaimed, "You are now talking like the British who said we will give you freedom when you are ready."
Kurien is known for his blunt behaviour with the politicians and bureaucrats. He never let anything come between his missions. He was a man of his words and delivered what he promised. The biggest example of this is how he brought the same revolution with edible oils.
When he presented NDDB's plan to make India self-sufficient in edible oils in five years, Rajiv Gandhi questioned his targets by saying, 'you took 20 years in milk, and how you can do this in five years?' Kurien's reply was, "This time we are asking for a complete package of policy and powers to implement it."
"But what are the guarantees?" quipped the Prime Minister. "Our heads," replied Kurien. He got what he asked for and delivered self-sufficiency in three years instead of five.
He is an inspiration for all. The sense of professionalism, integrity and his constant search for excellence in everything that he did set a shining example for those who followed him, to live up to. He has taught us that in order to succeed, our integrity must be beyond reproach, for those who oppose, cannot successfully defeat an honest man. He had an extraordinary ability to convert threats into opportunities - never letting an opportunity to pass him by that could be of advantage to the organisation or those it served. He was an honest man who never asked anything for himself.
Today India needs such leaders who can engineer great revolutions and reforms. He is an inspiring personality who transformed the lives of millions farmers. Contribution to Space Missions, Technology and Stock Market is fine, however we need to have strong focus on raising the living standards of all the people. Empowering the poor and developing the rural areas is the only way to build a strong India. Our roots are deeply sown in the rural soil and development is impossible until we learn to water our roots.
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