India is one of the world’s biggest producers and consumers of milk and dairy products. Our country has more than 150 million animals that provide milk, including cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep. For centuries, milk and dairy have been important parts of Indian culture and food, offering essential nutrients and supporting the economy.
In Hinduism, cows are considered sacred, giving particular importance to all dairy products. Our traditional Indian cuisines depend profoundly on milk, Dahi, and dairy. Moreover, dairy has a vital role in various festivals, especially those that celebrate the principles of Lord Krishna. Overall, milk and dairy are essential not just for nutrition but also a part of our cultural life. As the country develops, the dairy industry will have opportunities for growth and challenges that will require creative and sustainable solutions.
Our Milkman in India, Dr. Varghese Kurien (the Father of the White Revolution), predicted and implemented this evolving movement of production-to-consumption. His efforts then made India the largest milk producer in the world. He said Milk is the only ‘medium’ to invest in our Indian farmers and stage out for the World. National Milk Day is celebrated every year to mark and honour the birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien.
National Milk Day 2024 is celebrated on Tuesday, 26th November 2024. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, is celebrating “National Milk Day” at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
The National Milk Day was first celebrated on November 26TH, 2014, after the formation of the Indian Dairy Association (IDA). Also, several other dairy institutes were formed all over India to honour Dr Kurien, the Father of the White Revolution’s birthday anniversary. Mr. Kurien was essential in transforming India into the largest milk producer worldwide. It is said that he revolutionised India’s dairy industry then, so we are outranking today.
Dr Verghese Kurien was the superhead of “Amul”, considered the largest dairy brand in India, significantly impacting the establishment of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF). In 1970, with his initiatives, he launched the National Dairy Development Board under Operation Flood. This transformed India from a milk-deficient country to the world’s largest producer. When the Operation Flood succeeds as one of the world’s most significant agricultural movements. It made milk the most accessible thing to the large masses, which also helped empower millions of rural dairy farmers, mainly women, who got jobs and a stable source of income.
National Milk Day showcases the importance of milk as a crucial source of nutrition and its impact on the economy of rural India. Its main agenda is to honour the dairy farmers and professionals whose efforts have been essential to the prosperity of India’s dairy industry.
The day stages the achievements of Dr. Verghese Kurien and his central role in launching the Operation Flood program, which later transformed milk production and supply in India, making the country’s dairy self-sufficient. From an economic perspective, the dairy sector offered livelihoods to numerous small and marginal farmers. National Milk Day 2024 is a forum to discuss strategies and innovations that can enhance the dairy industry in the future.
The National Milk Day marks the efforts of the people working in the dairy industry and motivates them to adopt systematic ways to care for cattle and improve their daily dairy practices. On this day, the National Gopal Ratna Awards are given to those for honouring their exceptional contributions in this field. These awards are for those who are:
The theme of this year, National Milk Day 2024, which will be held on Tuesday, 26th November, is “Transforming Dairying with AI and IT.” The thought behind this theme is the role of advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information Technology (IT) in enhancing the dairy sector more modernly. Introducing these innovations aims to boost productivity, improve dairy quality, improve the supply chain, and improve animal health management.
This way, the achievements of the farmers holding dairy businesses, technicians, and organisations contribute to the dairy sector because their efforts need to be showcased at a higher level for adopting cutting-edge technologies to ensure sustainable growth in dairy.
The New Launches:
This year, the event is launching two critical publications,
With this product, we will have all the necessary information about the trends in dairy and livestock, helping to create better policies over the solid data survey.
This will guide you in picking the best dairy cows to build a top-quality national milch herd. This will show the government’s commitment to making decisions using the best animal husbandry and advanced technology.
The concept of A2 milk is also revolutionizing the dairy industry and empowering dairy farmers in the country.
National Milk Day 2024 is celebrated to make us follow the vision of Dr. Verghese Kurien; it reminds us of our duties and attention to the importance of milk in our lives. We need continued awareness, gratitude, and responsibility over this vital resource. It awakens us to appreciate the product and the people, from farmers to consumers, who transform it from raw to processed and get it to every doorstep. As it identifies each of them, we shall look at how we change Dairying using AI and IT. An unbiased and sustainable system that benefits all patrons.
As we pause and return to this annual celebration, it’s also apparent that milk continues to play an equally significant role in nutrition, economic development, and cultural traditions across the globe. Let’s also consider how to contribute to a brighter, more sustainable future for milk and dairy products worldwide.
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Verghese Kurien, the father of National Milk Day, was an Indian dairy engineer and social entrepreneur. He led the initiative that contributed to the extensive increase in milk production in India, termed the White Revolution in history.
This year’s National Milk Day, themed “Transforming Dairying with AI and IT”, is scheduled for November 26, 2024. The event will recognise the achievements of dairy champions and their vital role in shaping the dairy sector.
India is the largest Milk Producing Country in the world. India generated 24.64% of the world’s total production in 2021-2022. Also, by 2022-23, India’s milk output will have increased by 58%, which is 208,984,430 tons.
Verghese Kurien has to be considered the milk king of India. The “Father of the White Revolution” had transformed the dairy industry in India. He was making it the highest-producing country in the world.
Anand is known as the milk Capital of India. It became famous for its milk revolution and Amul dairy production. This city hosts the Head Office of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (AMUL), the National Dairy Development Board of India, a well-known business school, IRM, and Anand Agricultural University.
The milk production of India has registered a 58% increase during the last nine years, during the years 2014-15 and 2022-23, and increased to 230.58 Mn Tonnes in the year 2022-23.
Uttar Pradesh is the highest milk-producing state in India. Uttar Pradesh contributes around 18% of the total milk produced in India.
Haryana is known as the milk bucket of India; Haryana is a state of India famous for producing milk. Around 90% of the people living in Haryana domesticate cows and buffalos. They are also involved in agriculture production.
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