Verghese Kurien, father of 'white revolution', dies

Verghese Kurien, fondly referred to as the ‘Milkman of India' for helping turn the country into the world's largest milk producer, died early on Sunday. He was 90.

"Sorry to inform that Dr Kurien, father of White Revolution, passed away at 1.50 am," Amul, the dairy brand which Kurien turned into a household name, announced on Twitter.

Kurien stepped down as chairman of the cooperative body which runs Amul in 2006.

He had won many awards including the Padma Vibhushan, the World Food Prize and the Magsaysay Award.

"His greatest contribution was to give a position of pre-eminence to the farmer and his or her interests rather than those of middlemen," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a condolence message.

Narendra Modi, chief minister of Gujarat where Amul is based, said Kurien's "pioneering work gave the milk revolution, transformed India & touched us all".