Verghese Kurien, the ‘Milkman of India’ was a spearhead of the White Revolution, orchestrating a grid of small-scale cooperatives to make India a self-sufficient producer of milk in the 1970s. The resounding success of the initiative revolutionised the system of dairy management in the country, along with bringing about systemic changes in rural social milieus, industries and developmental policies.

This book charts Kurien’s journey as a precocious, misfit engineer in Anand, Gujarat, at the beginning of his career to his extraordinary achievements in dairy and agro-management as a formidable social entrepreneur and the architect of Operation Flood, by linking the country together through milk, a staple necessity.

Creating establishments like AMUL and Institute of Rural Management, Anand, Kurien proved that his first fidelity was always towards rural stakeholders, standing his ground against bureaucratic corruption, inefficient officials and self-serving lobbies. This monograph illustrates his pragmatic leadership and vision for sustainable development as an inspiring road map for future thinkers of India.