Father of White Revolution Verghese Kurien dies

Verghese Kurien, father of White Revolution, passed away in Nadiad, Gujarat in the wee hours on Sunday. He was 90. Kurien, who turned 10 million farmers into a legendary cooperative, passed away due to old age, sources said. 'Kurien died a natural death due to his age,' GCMMF MD said. Kurien's body will be kept at Anand for public to pay tribute. His last rites will be held in the evening. Kurien revolutionised the milk industry when he produced milk powder from buffalo milk. The rest of the world used cow milk to make milk powder. Born in Calicut, Kerala on November 26, 1921 he graduated from Loyola college of Madras and did his BE from university of Madras. He then went to US on a government scholarship to earn his Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan university. After his return, he joined Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited in 1949 which was formed at the initiative of Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel who asked Kurien to help set up a dairy processing plant from where journey of Amul and Kurian began. The Amul pattern of co-operative became a success and it was replicated throughout Gujarat. The different dairy unions were later brought under the banner of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation.