From the rise of Amul to the White Revolution, Anand became a centre of India’s dairy transformation, farmer cooperation and rural development.
Some Indian cities are recognised for their historic landmarks, others for their cuisine, and many for the industries that have shaped the country’s economic growth. Anand, in Gujarat, has built its identity around a product that is part of everyday life for millions of Indian households: milk.
Widely known as the Milk Capital of India, Anand holds a special place in the country’s dairy history. Its reputation is closely linked to the growth of dairy cooperatives, the development of Amul and the wider movement that helped transform India’s milk production and distribution systems.
How Anand became a centre of the dairy cooperative movement
Anand rose to prominence during the 20th century as Gujarat’s dairy cooperative movement gained momentum. The cooperative approach brought milk producers together to organise milk collection, processing and marketing.
By working collectively, farmers gained access to more structured procurement and marketing systems. The model also helped strengthen their participation in the dairy value chain and provided a foundation for expanding organised milk production.
This development established Anand as an important centre for India’s dairy cooperative movement and a model for dairy development in other parts of the country.
Amul: A brand rooted in farmer cooperation
Anand occupies a central place in the history of Amul, one of India’s most recognised dairy brands.
Amul emerged from the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, established in 1946. The cooperative model enabled milk producers to collectively process and market their products, gradually expanding the reach of the brand beyond Gujarat.
Today, Amul offers a broad range of products, including milk, butter, cheese, curd, ice cream and other dairy-based foods.
Its growth demonstrated how a farmer-owned cooperative initiative could develop into a large-scale dairy business while retaining a focus on producer participation.
Anand’s role in the White Revolution
Anand’s influence extends beyond the development of a single dairy brand. It became one of the principal centres associated with the White Revolution, which brought major changes to India’s dairy production, procurement and distribution systems.
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The movement focused on expanding dairy cooperatives, strengthening village-level milk collection, improving processing infrastructure and connecting producers with wider consumer markets.
The cooperative model developed in Gujarat became an important foundation for Operation Flood, the national dairy development programme implemented by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
Through this approach, organised milk procurement and marketing expanded across the country, helping connect rural milk producers with urban markets.
Verghese Kurien and Anand’s dairy legacy
No account of Anand’s dairy history is complete without Dr Verghese Kurien, widely recognised as the Father of India’s White Revolution.
Based in Anand, Kurien played a pivotal role in developing and expanding the cooperative dairy model. His work with the Kaira cooperative and NDDB helped strengthen farmer-owned institutions and supported the expansion of organised dairying across India.
His contribution went beyond dairy processing and marketing. The cooperative approach placed milk producers at the centre of the system, linking village-level collection with processing, branding and distribution.
Anand consequently became closely associated with the institutional and organisational foundations of India’s dairy transformation.
Institutions that extend Anand’s influence beyond dairy
Anand’s importance is not limited to milk production and processing. The city is also home to institutions that have contributed to dairy development, rural management and agricultural progress.
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), headquartered in Anand, has played a major role in strengthening dairy cooperatives, improving milk procurement systems and supporting the development of India’s dairy sector.
The Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) has contributed to professional education and research in rural management, cooperative development and institutional leadership.
Together, these institutions reflect Anand’s wider contribution to India’s agricultural and cooperative landscape.
More than a city associated with milk
Anand’s identity as the Milk Capital of India is rooted in a larger story of farmer cooperation, institutional development and changes in the organisation of the dairy industry.
The rise of Amul, the expansion of dairy cooperatives, the contribution of Dr Verghese Kurien and the establishment of national institutions helped make the city an important centre of India’s dairy transformation.
Anand’s legacy demonstrates how collective action by milk producers, supported by strong institutions and organised markets, can influence an entire industry. Its place in India’s dairy history is therefore about much more than milk: it represents a cooperative model that helped reshape the country’s rural economy.
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