In a distinguished career spanning over six decades, Dr Verghese Kurien has been a remarkable agent of social transformation. His extrordinary achievements have been acknowledged globally multitude the plethora of awards conferred on him.

He is also the guiding spirit of several organisations keen to benefit from his vision, experience and advice.

Academics:

• Bachelor of science (Physics) from Loyola College, Madras in 1941
• Bachelor of engineering (Mechanical) with honours from Madras University in 1944
• Special studies in engineering from the Tata Iron and Steel Company Institute at Jamshedpur, Bihar, in February 1946
• Specialised training in dairy engineering at the National Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore
• Masters in science in mechanical engineering with distinction, with specialisation in dairy engineering in the US at Michigan State University in 1948

Posts held:

• Chairman, Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation: 1973 to 2006
• Chairman, National Dairy Development Board: 1965 to 1998
• Chairman, Institute of Rural Management, Anand: 1979 to 2006
• Chancellor, Allahabad University: Present
• Delegate to the International Dairy congresses held in Rome in 1956 and Copenhagen in 1962
• Member, Dairy Science Committee and Dairy Education Committee, government of India
• Director, Tensile Steel, Baroda as a nominee of the Industrial Finance
  Corporation of India
• Director, Air Control and Refrigeration, Ahmedabad
• Member, Gujarat State Electricity Board

Awards:

• 1963 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership
• 1965 Padma Shri
• 1966 Padma Bhushan
• 1986 Krishi Ratna Award
• 1986 Wateler Peace Prize Award (from Carnegie Foundation)
• 1989 World Food Prize
• 1993 International Person of the Year (by the World Dairy Expo, Madison, Wisconsin, USA)
• 1999 Padma Vibhushan
• Awarded a Senior Fellowship in October 1952 for advanced training in dairy plan design and dairy engineering in New Zealand and Australia under the Colombo Plan.

Compiled by Shubha Khandekar