National Milk Day

The day commemorates Dr. Verghese Kurien's 100th birthday and is referred to be the "Father of the White Revolution."

On November 26, National Milk Day is marked to raise awareness of the value and advantages of milk.

India is the largest milk producer. Animals eat milk, so it is a food consumed by both humans and animals. World Milk Day, established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is also celebrated on June 1st each year.



National Milk Day: History

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the Indian Dairy Association (IDA), and 22 State Dairy Associations have jointly decided to commemorate Dr. Celebrating his Verghese Curiae on November 26, 2014. Dr. Curia is considered the father of India's White Revolution. As a result, on November 26, 2014, the first National Milk Day was celebrated.

Do you know about the White Revolution and Operation Flood?

India's National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) initiated a rural development program, Operation Flood, in 1970. It is one of the largest programs aimed at building a nationwide milk network. As a result, milk traders and merchant fraud has decreased and India is now one of the largest producers of milk and dairy products. Hence the White Revolution is another name.

Dr. Verghese Kurien, then Chairman of the NDDB, provided the management know-how and necessary impetus for the cooperative sector. He is credited with being the driving force behind Operation Flood, also known as White Revolution in India.

Operation Flood was implemented in three phases.

Phase I (1970-1980): It was paid for by the European Union's World Food Program donations of skimmed milk powder and butter oil. Connected with consumers in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai.

Phase II (1981-1985): Between 18 and 136 dairy stalls were added during this time. A total of 290 urban markets also increased milk distribution. And he said that by the end of 1985, 4.25 million milk producers were part of a self-sustaining network of 43,000 village cooperatives. By 1989, 22,000 tons of domestic milk powder had been produced for his 140,000 tons.

Phase III (1985-1996): Dairy cooperatives expanded and strengthened their infrastructure during this time to increase the supply of milk to the market. This phase strengthened the Indian dairy cooperative movement by adding 30,000 new dairy cooperatives to the 42,000 dairy cooperatives already established in Phase II. Women's participation in the milk shed increased from 1988 to 173 in 1989, and women's milk cooperatives also increased dramatically.

research and developments in animal nutrition and animal health were also highlighted during this period. Innovations such as vaccination against atherosclerosis, avoidance of protein diets, and urea molasses mineral blocks have helped dairy cows produce more milk.

About Dr. Verghese Kurien

1. He resigned from his position with the government and coerced Tribhuvandas Patel and the farmers to launch the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd (KDCMPUL), subsequently known as "Amul," as the region's first milk cooperative movement.

2. He carried out the "Operation Flood" scheme and attempted to bring the White Revolution to India. He was responsible for planning India's White Revolution.

3. He contributed to India being the world's top producer of milk.

4. He contributed to setting the groundwork for democratic initiatives at the local level.

5. He founded several organizations, including the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), and he had a considerable impact on the development of the dairy cooperative movement in the nation.

6. He also oversaw the replication of the cooperative dairy Anand model, which is used throughout India. He received 15 honorary degrees over his nearly fifty years of service from various international universities because he insisted that learning should never end.

7. He will always be known for changing the definition of milk to make it a potent tool for economic growth.