India, Nov. 26 -- The modern chapter of India's dairy journey begins not with a single scheme but with a quiet shift in rural imagination, when millions of small farmers started organising themselves in pursuit of dignity, voice and fairer economic terms. What followed through the 1970s was a national mobilisation that transformed milk from a household activity into a pathway for rural renewal. It is fitting that National Milk Day honours Dr Verghese Kurien, whose conviction placed farmers at the heart of this transformation and whose legacy continues to shape the sector even as its challenges grow more complex.

From producing barely 23 million tonnes of milk in 1970, India today produces more than 239 million tonnes (2023-24). Per capit...