National Milk Day 2023 at Guwahati's Veterinary College, hosted by AHD

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has decided to celebrate “National Milk Day 2023” on 26 November 2023 in the premises of the Veterinary College, Guwahati. This special day is organized in honor of the 102nd birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien, the “Father of the White Revolution in India”.

The chief guest of the program:

• The chief guest of this organized program will be Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Parshottam Rupala.

Highlights of the programme:

• During the event, an exhibition showcasing innovative technologies, livestock products and services and a technical session focusing on feed and fodder with special emphasis on formulating fodder strategy for North Eastern (NER) states will be organised. 

State-level launch of A-HELP programme:

• The event also marks the state level launch of the A-HELP (Authorized Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) program.

National Gopal Ratna Award 2023 will be awarded to:

• The event is being organized in collaboration with the State Animal Husbandry Department, Assam Livestock Development Board and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the prestigious National Gopal Ratna Awards 2023 will also be presented at the event.

Background of National Milk Day:

• Milk production in India was very low in the 1970s. To solve this problem, Operation Flood was started in the country by Dr. Verghese Kurien. So that milk production could be increased. As a result, India saw a rapid increase in milk production and as a result India became the largest milk producing country in the world in 1998.
• To remember this contribution of Dr. Varghese in the country, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in 2014 that 26 November would be celebrated as National Milk Day in the country.

Dr. Verghese Kurien:

• Dr. Varghese was born on November 26, 1921 in Kozhikode, Kerala. Dr. Varghese graduated in science from Loyola College, Chennai in 1940 and obtained an engineering degree from GC Engineering College, also in Chennai.
• Dr. Varghese worked at TISCO, Jamshedpur, and later received a scholarship from the Government of India to study dairy engineering, after receiving specialized training at the Imperial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Bengaluru, from Michigan State University. Received a master's degree in mechanical engineering in 1948, with dairy engineering as a subject.
• Dr. Verghese Kurien returned to India from America in the year 1948 and joined the Dairy Department of the government.
• In May 1949 he was appointed as Dairy Engineer in the Government Research Creamery at Anand, Gujarat.
• During this period, on July 16, 1965, the National Milk Production Board was established in the country, whose chairperson was Dr. Verghese Kurien. Verghese Kurien was also the Chairman of the National Milk Production Board from 1965 to 1998.
• Verghese Kurien died in the year 2012.