Verghese Kurien

Verghese Kurien
Born	November 26, 1921 (1921-11-26) (age 89) Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	Loyola College University of Madras Michigan State University
Occupation	Founding Chairman of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation

Verghese Kurien (born November 26, 1921 at Kozhikode, Kerala) is the founder of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), an apex cooperative organization that manages the Amul food brand. He is recognised as the man behind the success of the Amul brand. Amul had a revenue of $2.2b USD in 2010-11.

He is credited with being the architect of Operation Flood -- the largest dairy development program in the world. Kurien helped modernise Anand model of cooperative dairy development and thus engineered the White Revolution in India, and made India the largest milk producer in the world.

Early life and education

Verghese Kurien was born on November 26, 1921. His father was a civil surgeon in Cochin. He graduated in Physics from Loyola College, Madras in 1940 and then did B.E. (Mech) from the University of Madras. After completing his degree, he joined the Tata Steel Technical Institute, Jamshedpur from where he graduated in 1946. He then went to USA on a government scholarship to earn his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (with distinction) from Michigan State University.

Personal life

Kurien belongs to the Syrian Christian community of India.^[1][2] He married his neighbor's daughter Molly. Molly was a gracious host and Dr Kurien's house used to serve as a guest house in Anand for the visiting dignitaries^{[citation needed]}. He has one daughter Nirmala Kurien and a grandson, Siddharth.

The White Revolution

Kurien has since then built this organization into one of the largest and most successful institutions in India. The Amul pattern of cooperatives had been so successful, in 1965, then Prime Minister of India, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, created the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to replicate the program on a nationwide basis citing Kurien's "extraordinary and dynamic leadership" upon naming him chairman.

Kurien also set up GCMMF in 1973 to sell the products produced by the dairies. Today GCMMF sells AMUL brand products not only in India but also overseas. He quit the post of GCMMF Chairman in 2006 following disagreements with GCMMF management.^[3]

Kurien, plays a key role in many other organizations, ranging from chairing the Viksit Bharat Foundation, a body set up by the President of India to chairman of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand's (IRMA) Board of Governors in India. Kurien was mentioned by the Ashoka foundation (www.ashoka.ca) as one of the eminent present Day Social Entrepreneurs.

Kurien's life story is chronicled in his memoirs 'I too had a dream'.^[4]

Kurien and his team were pioneers in inventing the process of making milk powder and condensed milk from buffalo's milk instead of cow's milk. This was the reason Amul became so successful and competed well against Nestle who only used cow milk to make powder and condensed milk. In India buffalo milk was the main raw material unlike Europe where cow milk is abundant.

India's first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Anand to inaugrate AMUL "factory" and he embraced Kurien for his groundbreaking work.

Awards and Honours

Year of Award or Honor	Name of Award or Honor	Awarding Organization
2010	Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa)	Karunya University.
	Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa)	Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
2007	Karmaveer Puraskaar	iCONGO- Confederation of NGOs.
2007	Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award	Godfrey Phillips India Ltd.
1999	Padma Vibhushan	President of India.
1989	World Food Prize	World Dairy Expo, USA.
1986	Wateler Peace Prize Award	Carnegie Foundation, USA.
1986	Krishi Ratna Award	President of India.
1966	Padma Bhushan	President of India.
1965	Padma Shri	President of India.
1963	Ramon Magsaysay Award	Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation.

See also

• White Revolution

References

1. ^ Report on Dr Verghese Kurien in Tehelka
2. ^ Outlook India article on Dr. Verghese Kurien
3. ^ "Kurien quits as GCMMF chairman". 20 March 2006. http://www.rediff.com/money/2006/mar/20kurien.htm. 
4. ^ "I too had a dream - on Amazon.com". http://www.amazon.com/Too-Had-Dream-Gouri-Salvi/dp/8174364072. 

External links

• THE AMUL SAGA by Verghese Kurien
• Dr. Kurien, 1989 World Food Prize Laureate

Persondata
Name	Kurien, Verghese
Alternative names
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Date of birth	November 26, 1921
Place of birth	Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Date of death
Place of death