PVLF 2025

Interview with MS Meenakshi, Author of "Verghese Kurien"

Interview with Meenakshi on Verghese Kurien’s impact on India’s dairy industry, rural women’s empowerment, and leadership lessons for women-led businesses.
on Mar 29, 2025

Frontlist: Your book highlights the incredible journey of Verghese Kurien and his role in transforming India’s dairy industry. How do you think his work contributed to empowering rural women, especially those involved in dairy farming?

Meenakshi: In those days, men worked in the fields while women looked after the cattle. When the cooperative movement led to a surge in milk production, women saw direct benefits. With their own income, they gained a voice in family decisions and could afford better nutrition, healthcare, and education for their children, improving their overall well-being. Kurien introduced training programs to help women manage cattle and enhance milk quality. Veterinary experts conducted sanitation and hygiene programs for livestock, but farmers, especially women, applied these lessons at home, creating cleaner, healthier living spaces. The same pattern followed in healthcare.

At artificial insemination centres, women learned about cattle breeding, reproductive health, and maternal care. Observing the process, they began drawing connections between cattle pregnancy and their own, leading to a better understanding of prenatal nutrition. Kurien’s cooperative model didn’t just provide financial security; it equipped rural women with knowledge, health awareness, and confidence, helping them build a self-reliant future

Frontlist: As a biographer, what inspired you to tell the story of Verghese Kurien? Were there any lesser-known aspects of his work that particularly stood out to you?

Meenakshi: As a biographer, what inspired me the most about Verghese Kurien was his unwavering work ethic and deep sense of purpose. He was not just a visionary but a relentless worker who believed in action over words. Even on Saturdays, instead of taking a break, he would visit factories to inspect working conditions, including the cleanliness of toilets for women, because to him, every detail mattered. His work was never about personal gain. Despite leading the monumental Operation Flood, he never preferred the high salaries that multinational companies offered. His commitment was to a cause, not a career.

One interesting aspect about him is that he didn't wish to study dairy engineering but had to accept it as part of a government scholarship. Yet he embraced it and went on to revolutionise the industry. That irony fascinated me. How did someone who entered a field by chance become the force that transformed it? What drove him to turn an accident of fate into a mission that changed India forever? That curiosity is what led me to write his story.

Frontlist: International Women’s Day is about celebrating achievements and advocating for change. From your research, did you come across any strong women who played key roles in Kurien’s vision but remained in the background?

Meenakshi: Of course, yes! His wife, Molly! While many men dedicate hours to pursuing their goals, their wives, as homemakers, work just as tirelessly at home, without fixed hours, recognition, or pay. The story of Molly Kurien is no different! Kurien never interfered in financial decisions, he would simply hand over his earnings to Molly, who handled household expenses wisely.

Molly also played a key role in Kurien’s professional life by being an excellent hostess. Whether it was hosting a Danish diplomat or a fellow cooperative leader, she ensured they felt welcome, paying attention to every detail, from table settings to conversation, from meal arrangements to etiquette.

Her quiet dedication allowed Kurien to focus on his mission without distraction. She was not just managing a home. She was creating an environment where his vision could thrive. While history may remember Verghese Kurien as the father of the White Revolution, those who knew them both would agree that Molly was the wind beneath his wings.

Frontlist: Your previous work focused on Kunjukutti Thampuratti, a social reformer from Kerala. How do you see the link between her work and the transformational change Kurien brought to rural communities?

Meenakshi: Though Kunjukutti and Verghese Kurien worked in entirely different areas, their contributions were deeply connected by the shared timeline of post-independence India, a time when the country was in desperate need of change. Kunjukutti was a fearless activist, challenging gender, caste, and educational barriers, while Kurien transformed India’s dairy industry, empowering millions of rural farmers.

Their impact may have unfolded in different spaces, but both played a crucial role in rebuilding a nation still finding its footing after independence. The freedom struggle did not end in 1947, the real battle lay in reshaping a fractured country, lifting those long left

behind, and rewriting the social order. Kurien’s cooperative dairy movement tore down invisible walls, ensuring that women and marginalised communities had equal economic opportunities, a step towards a more just society.

Meanwhile, Kunjukutti’s work in Kodungallur, Kerala, was a revolution in itself. She fought against centuries of exclusion, ensuring that education and progress reached those who had been systematically denied them. In their own ways, both of them redefined empowerment, proving that true change happens through the courage to question, challenge, and create space for those long unheard.

Frontlist: As a woman in research and literature, what challenges have you faced, and what advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the fields of writing an historical documentation?

Meenakshi: The most challenging part of my research was writing my first book. Being the first to document her story in English, I often felt like I was searching for something that had almost vanished with time. There were no readily available records, no detailed archives, only scattered memories and fragments of history. I had to travel, conduct field research, and piece together her story from what little remained. One of the biggest hurdles was the lack of archived documents from post-independence India, which made reconstructing her life all the more difficult. But beyond that, I came to realize something far more significant. That is, history has largely been written by men, about men. The contributions of women, no matter how impactful, have often been left unrecorded or forgotten. This made my research not just about gathering information but about giving a voice to someone who deserved to be remembered.

To young women researchers, I would say this: don’t let your work stay hidden in a thesis or an academic paper that reaches only a few. If you are passionate about your research, turn it into a book, share the story to reach a larger audience. There are so many untold histories waiting to be uncovered, and only by bringing them to light can we truly honour those who came before us.

Frontlist: Women in leadership continue to shape various industries today. Based on your research, what leadership qualities of Kurien are most relevant for women in decision-making roles?

Meenakshi: Verghese Kurien was a visionary who saw beyond bureaucracy and power. He understood the struggles of rural farmers and chose integrity over influence.“In every crisis, if you look carefully, you will find an opportunity. My insistence is on finding that opportunity. I never try to side-step a crisis,” He said that, and he lived it. He cut through red tape without compromise, proving that true leadership isn’t about position but purpose. His legacy is a reminder that real change comes from working smart, standing firm and always putting India first by ensuring its producers, not middlemen, control their own destiny.

Frontlist: Your book emphasizes Kurien's fight against bureaucracy and corruption to ensure sustainable development. Do you think his model can be applied today to empower women-led businesses and cooperatives?

Meenakshi: For generations, dairy farmers worked endlessly, yet their fate was never in their hands. They produced the milk, but others controlled the profits. The system was broken, and everyone knew it, except those who benefited from it. Verghese Kurien saw this and refused to accept it as just another reality of rural life. He didn’t fight the system with speeches or protests. Instead, he built something stronger: a cooperative model where farmers didn’t just supply milk; they owned everything from production to profit. No more middlemen skimming off their earnings. No more waiting for someone else to set the price of their labor. The people who did the work made the decisions, and for the first time, the system worked for them. Now, place this model in the hands of women. Women who have spent lifetimes contributing, yet remain excluded when power and profit are divided. What if they controlled the businesses they built? What if their work wasn’t just valued but owned by them? A cooperative isn’t just a structure; it’s a shift in power. Kurien’s model was never just about milk, it was about rewriting the rules. The same approach, I believe, could be incorporated into any women-led business.