The Milkman of India class 7 cbse

The Milkman of India

We offer our tribute to Dr Verghese Kurien, the legend who taught us self-belief and determination. Dr Verghese Kurien was a patriot who transformed the country. He is called the Father of the White Revolution. Let us read about how

he brought about a change in the lives of Indians.

The year was 1946. A young graduate from Guindy College of Engineering in Madras (now Chennai), applied for a government scholarship to study Metallurgy and Nuclear Physics abroad.

"What do you know about pasteurisation?" the interviewer asked the young man.

"Something to do with milk," was the young man's uninterested response.

"Yes! You're right and you've been selected for a scholarship to study Dairy Engineering," said the interviewer.

This young man was Dr Verghese Kurien. He was initially disappointed because he had no interest in Dairy Engineering. Nevertheless, he left for the United States in 1946 to study at the Michigan State University. At the university, he was happy that he got Mechanical Engineering as the main subject with Dairy Engineering as a minor subject. After studying in the US, Dr Kurien came back to India in 1948. He was asked to join as the Dairy Engineer in the Government Research Creamery at Anand, a village in the Kaira district of Gujarat, in return for the scholarship paid by the government.

On 13 May 1949, Dr Kurien landed in Anand. However, he could not find suitable accommodation there and had to settle

for the garage of the dairy. It was a small dilapidated room and Dr Kurien repaired it on his own. He made windows in the walls and a bathroom with iron sheets.

In Anand, Dr Kurien found that sorne sly people were fooling the farmers. They were selling products at higher prices and paying the farmers less for their produce.

Dr Verghese Kurien was touched by the plight of the farmers. Inspired by Tribhuvandas Patel, the leader of the farmers, Dr Kurien gave ideas about helping farmers form their own milk cooperatives, He even helped them in the selection of machinery. However, unhappy with his job, Dr Kurien wanted to get out of Anand as quickly as possible.

By the end of 1949, he was all set and eager to pack off to Mumbai but that did not happen.

Tribhuvandas Patel requested Dr Kurien to stay back. His simple plea was: "We need you here

Dr Kurien accepted

Tribhuvandas Patel's suggestion and joined the Kaira Cooperative as their General Manager in 1950. He never regretted that decision.)

Dr Verghese Kurien worked with a simple vision to help farmers so that they could control their resources and not be exploited by middlemen.

On 15 November 1954, the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, laid the foundation for the dairy plant at Anand, the world's first plant to manufacture milk powder from buffalo milk. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated this plant in October 1955.

The Kaira Cooperative now needed to focus on proper advertising and branding.

A chemist at

the Kaira laboratory suggested 'the name 'Amul' which is derived from the Sanskrit word Amoolya, meaning priceless. It also stood as an acronym for Anand Milk Union Limited and the name AMUL was formally registered in 1957.)

Amul grew from strength

to strength, thanks to the inspired leadership of Tribhuvandas Patel, the Founder Chairman, and the committed professionalism of Dr Verghese Kurien.

The 'Amul Pattern' established itself as an ideal model for rural development and it played an essential role in the lives of women farmers, making them economically independent.

In 1964, when the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri visited Amul in Anand, he was impressed by the way Amul was sourcing milk from farmers and helping them improve their economic condition) Lal Bahadur Shastri asked Dr Kurien to replicate the Amul model across the country, So, Prime Minister Shastri established the (National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) at Anand in 1965. Dr Kurien was appointed Chairman.

The NDDB team estimated that the government would need to give around 650 crore rupees for this initiative. The state authorities immediately rejected the plan.

Even though the Amul brand was registered, Dr Verghese Kurien now wanted to be sure that there was an advertising agency to promote the brand. In 1966, Sylvester daCunha of Advertising and Sales Promotion (ASP) was entrusted with the task of creating an advertisement. He and his wife came up with the tag line Utterly butterly delicious Amul'

Even though the word 'butterly' seemed ungrammatical, it worked for the brand! The country saw the birth of a campaign that continues to charm all, till date. When the first few ads appeared in Bombay (now Mumbai), everyone found the advertisements very cute. It was a winner!

The Amul Girl, with her clever catchphrases and her love for butter, is one of the most famous mascots Indian advertising has seen.

Around 1968, there was surplus production of milk in the European countries. So much so that they had no clue what to do with the surplus milk. Dr Kurien realized that this was an opportunity.

So, at the World Food Programme in 1968, Dr Kurien pleaded with the countries to donate this surplus milk to India.

Dr Kurien stressed that he would sell the milk at the regular price in India and use the earnings to repeat the Amul model throughout the country. Impressed by Kurien's plans, they agreed to his proposal and Operation Flood or the White Revolution was born.

Dr Verghese Kurien, the person behind this movement, empowered milk farmers in what was once milk-deficit India. Through systems designed by

The TASTE INDIA

him, India became the world's largest producer of milk, surpassing even the US. The cooperative became a model not only for India, but for developing countries throughout the world. What started as a cooperative society to help farmers of an area, is today a billion-dollar company.

The Father of the White Revolution passed away on 9 September 2012, after a brief illness. The Amul Girl wept for the first time to pay homage to the great man.

Dr Kurien's determination of turning the impossible into possible won him many awards such as the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership (1963), the Padma Shri (1965), the Padma Bhushan (1966), the World Food Prize award (1989), the International Person of the Year award (1993) and the Padma Vibhushan (1999).

However, the best award that the people of the country gave him was the title - 'Milkman of India'.

Inspired by Dr Kurien and Operation Flood, noted film- maker Shyam Benegal made the film Manthan (the churning of the 'milk ocean') in 1976. Benegal made the film with the contribution of two rupees each from over half a million farmers who were involved in Operation Flood.

The film was a big success. Later, the United Nations Development Programme used the film to start similar cooperatives in South America.

Comprehension

A. Tick the correct options.

1. On his return from the US, Dr Kurien was asked to go to Anand in Gujarat because he

• d. had to work in a government organization in return for the scholarship paid by the government.

**: "He was asked to join as the Dairy Engineer in the Government Research Creamery at Anand, a village in the Kaira district of Gujarat, in return for the scholarship paid by the government."  

2. The state authorities rejected the plan to replicate the Amul model across the country because

• c. the funds needed to implement the plan were beyond the government's budget.

**: "The NDDB team estimated that the government would need to give around 650 crore rupees for this initiative. The state authorities immediately rejected the plan."

3. Dr Kurien wanted the surplus milk from other countries to

• b. at a regular price in India.

**: "Dr Kurien stressed that he would sell the milk at the regular price in India and use the earnings to repeat the Amul model throughout the country."

 

B. Answer the questions with reference to the context.

1. ". you've been selected for a scholarship to study Dairy Engineering."

a. Who said these words and to whom?

The interviewer said these words to Dr. Verghese Kurien.

b. Why was he selected?

He was selected for his potential and knowledge about pasteurization.

c. Where did he go to study after being selected?

c. He went to study at Michigan State University in the United States.

2. "We need you here!"

a. Who said these words and to whom?

The words "We need you here!" were said by Tribhuvandas Patel to Dr. Verghese Kurien.

b. Where was he needed and why?

He was needed in Anand to help the farmers and support the establishment of milk cooperatives.

c. What was the speaker's request?

The speaker's request was for Dr. Kurien to stay in Anand and continue his work with the cooperative instead of leaving for Mumbai.

 

C. Answer these questions.

1.    How did Dr. Kurien end up studying Dairy Engineering? How did that change his life?

Dr. Kurien wanted to study Metallurgy and Nuclear Physics, but during an interview, he answered a question about milk and was offered a scholarship to study Dairy Engineering instead. This changed his life because he went to Anand and helped farmers by starting milk cooperatives, making their lives better.

2.    Describe the Amul advertising campaign. What is its significance?

The Amul advertising campaign features a cute cartoon girl called the Amul Girl who has funny ads about current events. These ads are famous in India because they make people smile and help everyone remember the Amul brand. They show how good Amul products are in a fun way.

3.    What was Operation Flood? How did it change India?

Operation Flood was a plan started by Dr. Kurien to help farmers by using extra milk from other countries. It helped India become the biggest milk producer in the world! It changed India by giving farmers more control over their milk and helping them earn more money.

4. Complete this timeline of the milestones in Dr Kurien's life.

1947: Joined Michigan State University for further studies.

1949: Returned to India and began working as a Dairy Engineer at the Government Research Creamery in Anand.

1955: The dairy plant at Anand, which was the world's first to manufacture milk powder from buffalo milk, was inaugurated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

1957: Amul was formally registered as a brand.

1964: Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri visited Amul and encouraged Dr. Kurien to replicate the Amul model across India.

1965: The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was established with Dr. Kurien as Chairman.

1966: The famous Amul advertising campaign featuring the Amul Girl began.

1970: Operation Flood was launched, significantly increasing milk production in India.

1999: Awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his contributions to dairy development and rural empowerment.

 

D. Think and answer.

1.    Do you think the term White Revolution is suitable for the work begun by Dr. Kurien? Give reasons for your answer.

Yes, the term "White Revolution" is suitable for Dr. Kurien's work because it represents a major transformation in India's dairy industry. Under his leadership, India became the largest milk producer in the world through initiatives like Operation Flood, which empowered farmers and improved their economic conditions. The revolution not only increased milk production significantly but also created a self-sustaining dairy industry that benefited millions of rural families.

2.    Why is the title 'Milkman of India' the best award that the people of the country could have given Dr. Kurien?

The title "Milkman of India" is the best award for Dr. Kurien because it reflects his deep connection to the dairy industry and his dedication to improving the lives of farmers. It signifies his role in transforming India’s dairy sector and making it a source of livelihood for millions. This title shows how much he is respected and loved by the people for his contributions to their welfare and empowerment through dairy cooperatives.

E. Tick the correct words within the brackets to complete these statements.

1)    My mother is steadfast and strong in her beliefs. She's like a rock.

2)    Joe wasn't comfortable in his new workplace. He felt like a fish out of water.

3)    It's a wonder that this machine works as silently as a mouse!

4)    The screeching sound was as annoying as nails on a blackboard.

F. Write six words to describe Dr Verghese Kurien.

Visionary

Determined

Innovative

Empowering

Transformative

Inspirational

H. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

1. European countries produced surplus milk in 1968.

In 1968, surplus milk was produced by European countries.

2. The police questioned the young man.

3. Dr Rajendra Prasad laid the foundation for the dairy plant at Anand.

4. The different countries donated the surplus milk to India.

5. Dr Verghese Kurien empowered milk farmers in India.

1. Rewrite these sentences in the active voice.

1. The scholarship for Dr Kurien's study was paid by the government.

2. A play was enacted by the Dramatics club yesterday.

3. Many tree saplings were planted by the children.

4. The books on the shelves were arranged neatly by Riyaz.

5. The Book Fair was attended by twenty thousand visitors.

6. Our young cat is cuddled and pampered by us.

J. Look at the pictures. Make two sentences in the active and passive voice for each.

Droupadi Murmu

Active Voice: Droupadi Murmu became the President of India in 2022.

Passive Voice: The President of India was become by Droupadi Murmu in 2022.

Neeraj Chopra

Active Voice: Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Passive Voice: The gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics was won by Neeraj Chopra.

Zakir Hussain

Active Voice: Zakir Hussain plays the tabla in many famous concerts.

Passive Voice: The tabla is played by Zakir Hussain in many famous concerts.