“Never forget that quality and value are the foundation for successful brands”.
Dr Kurien
This post is not about the roulade above I made this morning. That isn’t being shared today. This post is about what went into it … and my connect with the brand, Amul, specifically Amul cream. My life in the kitchen every single day is touched by someone fondly referred to as the ‘Milkman of India‘. That someone was no other than Dr Kurien, the father of the milk revolution in India, the brain behind the largest rural dairy development programme in the world {Operation Flood}. This is a tribute to him.
If there is one man who changed the dairy map of India, that credit would be his. He passed away last night leaving behind a legacy, a business model, an organisation that put the consumer at the centre of any major decision it took. At 90 years of age, he still led from the front, ethically building one of the greatest brands India has ever had – Amul, which means ‘priceless’ in sanskrit.
The Birth of Amul began when milk became a symbol of protest as early as the 1940′s. The seeds of this unusual saga were sown more than 65 years back in Anand, a small town in western India. The exploitative trade practices followed by the local trade cartel triggered off the cooperative movement. Angered by unfair and manipulative practices followed by the trade, the farmers went on a milk strike and eventually formed their own cooperative in 1946. Amul grew from strength to strength thanks to the inspired leadership of Tribhuvandas Patel, the founder Chairman and the committed professionalism of Dr Verghese Kurien,who was entrusted the task of running the dairy from 1950.
A visionary who gave us a Taste of India, Dr Kurien touched numerous lives across the nation on a daily basis, from farmers to end consumers! At the very micro level, he touched a little life in an obscure corner of Gurgaon, tucked away in the National Capital Region … mine! Almost no day goes by for the obsessive baker and cook in me without reaching out for an Amul product – cream, cheese, milk, ghee, condensed milk! 
When I think of it, it amazes me. How much we take things for granted as they’ve been there right through our growing years. Amul Butter was the butter we grew up on … we knew no other. It ‘greased’ our growing up years, those stolen spoonfuls, those slathered slices of bread jam & butter, hot parathas rolled with butter melting right through … always Amul!
At the time, the Indian economy wasn’t brand explosive like the West. Until the 80′s we had single brands on the market.It was simple for the consumer … butter was Amul, Kissan made jam and ketchup, for jelly it was Rex, colas meant Thumbs Up … and growing up in Delhi, milk was Mother Dairy or DMS! So much brand loyalty and connect.
Today it’s a whole new ball game. Brands have exploded through the roof. You don’t just reach out for or ask the corner store for butter. You’ve got to name a brand, and the same goes for other dairy products. The choices are mind boggling in a speedily hungry economy like India where the consumer is king! 
Here too, Amul held its ground, building a formidable business model, a management lesson that is staggering for economies like ours! For a co-operative, that is certainly a tall achievement. {Much of what I studied in economics in university makes more sense now!}. As Dr Kurien said, “There is no room for complacency. We must not only maintain our lead, we must increase it.”
“The key to retaining our competitive advantage lies in keeping focused on the basic business principles:
• Be Customer-Driven
• Adapt quickly to the changing environment.
• Anticipate change and act today to meet tomorrow’s challenges.”
Putting this into practice in a complex ‘madhouse’ like economy like India isn’t easy! A small example. Home bakers in India have cribbed for whipping cream for ever. I am a locavaore to the core and refuse to buy imported cream. Recently the thread came up on an FB group and we rallied for our cause. I posted on Amuls FB wall, many like minded folk pleaded the case. Nothing happened.
Then a few days later, I saw sweet Sushmita ‘LIKE’ Amul on FB. That reignited my call! I was back on FB and said … “I will LIKE you Amul if you promise to consider introducing whipping cream to your line of products! I WILL!” I knew someone would hear. Then one day, out of the blue, Amul said…
That is how dynamic the company is. How many would have bothered in a country of a billion people? They listen, they are consumer driven, they are ethical, they give back to community, they are inspiration … and they are oh-so-creative! Every morning the paper has an Amul advertisement to portray the days news/sentiments! 
From Clint Eastwood to ….
….Prince Harry in LA, the ads covered them all! At my end, Amul kept my culinary adventures alive and ‘covered’ – pasta, pizzas, soft cheeses, cakes, ice creams and desserts covered! I could dream because of you. You made it possible! There is Amul in almost everything I enjoy making!
RIP Dr Kurien, you are an inspiration to millions … to me too!
Don’t miss a post 
Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India
A beautiful post and a fitting tribute with gorgeous pictures Deeba!
Anushruti | Divinetaste´s last [type] ..Milk Masala Powder (For An Exotic Spiced Drink)
My daughter grew up in the US, but she loves Amul butter the best. A lovely tribute!
Tadka Pasta´s last [type] ..Sweet Little Jar of Red Hot Stuff
A lovely tribute. Everything looks fantastic and your roulade looks so tempting.
Cheers,
Rosa
A wonderful tribute Deeba.
Happy Cook / FInla´s last [type] ..Summer Berry Tart
RIP Dr. Kurien. Deeba this tribute is our voice. We love Amul!
Anjali´s last [type] ..Growing Tomato
we couldn’t think life without Amul…It Rocks !!! I am happy that they have promised to launch their whipping cream soon. Our lives will be way too simpler if that comes true
Himanshu @ The White Ramekins´s last [type] ..Pear Frangipane Tart
A true visionary. He will be missed
What a beautiful tribute to the legendary person that Dr. Kurien was. Yes, Amul has a daily presence in our homes, in our taste buds and all the comfort foods we have been having since our childhood.
Such a lovely post.
sangeeta khanna´s last [type] ..My favorite grain Barley makes Upma..
Beautiful tribute Deeba along with stunning pictures! Amul is a part of every Indian home Im sure!
Wonderful tribute Deeba. Most of it very nostalgic……I still remember the butter…..very nicely written.
My husband loves Amul cheese spread and it’s a shane we don’t get it there and we still love LOVE amul butter. It’s a beautiful tribute Deeba.
Kankana´s last [type] ..Shrimp Pulav – Guest Post at Healthful Pursuit
Beautifully written and a wonderful tribute to the great ‘Milkman’. RIP Dr. Kurien.
Very well written Deeba and a wonderful tribute to the ‘milkman’. RIP Dr. Kurien.
A great tribute to a very inspiring personality.
indugetscooking´s last [type] ..Kozhi Nirachathu – Kerala Style Stuffed Chicken
deeba, I have always been worried about using whipped cream frosting everytime i bake, and so I end up making a ganache or buttercream. I read somewhere that you could add a small amount of gelatine to stabilize, and I went through your old posts whr you mentioned we could incorporate butter, what would be a better method? I am planning to make a cake for my daughters birthday and i dont want to mess it up
poonam´s last [type] ..Sponge painting with kids
Beautiful tribute deeba
Arundati´s last [type] ..Celebrations Galore ~ Baked Yogurt Tart in an Oatmeal Crust
What a beautiful tribute Deeba. Indeed Amul is synonymous with our growing years.
Mukta´s last [type] ..Chicken Rollatini
Wonderful post Deeba,and a lovely tribute to the ‘milkman of India’:)
Divya´s last [type] ..Eden,Chennai | Restaurant Review
I cant wait to try this kind of dessert…Looks really delicious…Thanks a lot for sharing with us..
Charlotte´s last [type] ..biotene
Straight from the heart – My eyes teared by the end, love it.
Beautiful post, I was hooked right from the word GO and just had to read the entire post. A fitting tribute and such lovely pictures as usual. Amul definitely has and continues to be an important part of our everyday lives and if it is milk it has to be Amul for the average Indian. RIP Dr. Kurien
loved reading your tribute to Dr. Kurien… and yes very impressed that they cared enough to get back to you. so right about having been touched by this product and brand day in and day out…. even here in the ME as I am.
Rajant@eatwritethink´s last [type] ..soft as baby’s bottoms Appam / Hoppers ~where more is less~
Hard to imagine eh Rajani? Most Indians of the earlier generation were Amul babies! LOL
That’s a great post Deepa. Suddenly made me realise what this meant in my life too. Saw those hoardings as a kid and used to love it. And of course butter and cheese…the good things in life while growing up were Amul… thanks Dr Kurien
Thank you for stopping by Kalyan. How nice to see you and to know that we share a generation of growing up on Amul!
What a beautiful tribute Deeba. Amul is something I had taken for granted…butter was always amul, and still is…can’t switch to any other brand. And the ads were always so perfectly reflected what was happening…Totally grew up on Amul products and can relate to this post so well…
Arch´s last [type] ..Chilli garlic mushrooms
A lovely to tribute a man who deserves every accolade Deeba.
belllii´s last [type] ..Welcome Comfort Foods with Cheesy Hop Soup and Sheet Biscuits
Superlike!
CS´s last [type] ..Vaishali restaurant – Street Food Guide
Lovely post Deeba! A perfect tribute with some gorgeous photos…
chinmayie @ love food eat´s last [type] ..Spicy Grape Tomato Salad
Lovely tribute. Yummier pictures.. Can you please provide the recipe for the swiss roll??
such a beautiful piece deeba – truely he taught us what India can achieve and can become if we do things the right way without corruption and having a truely sustainable development!!!
and to think I did not join IRMA and went to SPA…. my loss!!!
http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/2011/10/same-dhotis-in-different-waytodays.html
shooting star´s last [type] ..Some of my Favorite Things ~ Hair Care Tales
Hi!
I have been checking out your blog for the past 6 months… and have loved your creativity and the prose along with it. Needless to say that the cake variations are delicious…:) Baking is a hobby and seeing your blogs inspires me all the more. Usually am in a rush with 2 toddlers around and never take the time to Thank u for this lovely blog of yours.But today your post was too touching ti give my response a miss;)
Ver well expressed. I live in Muscat and am spoilt for choice, whether it is cheese/butter/paneer/cream. Still my hand picks out Amul when I see it in the supermarket. Yes we get it here! And being another one among many who grew up around Amul..your post touched a chord..RIP Dr. Kurien..
Thank You again!
Sunita
A lovely tribute for a man who created a brand that we all loved as a child and even now as an adult we can’t stop raving about it.
Rekha Kakkar´s last [type] ..Pizza Masterclass with Chef Theo at the Hilton Mayur Vihar
Dear Deeba
Hiee:) I’m an Amul baby too.feels really good to say that!
I tried nutralite but nothing beats the taste of Amul butter:)
Indeed utterly bitterly delicious!
I would also like to share that I simply love ur blog.im a young
Baker who has only ventured I to baking cakes at the moment.
Even though academics n psychology is what I wish to do professionally
But baking is sumthing I whole heartedly wish to learn.n ur blog only makes
Me want to learn balking n icing n frosting more so!:) nothing beats the aroma of baking.ryt?
Lovely post:)
This is an amazing post D! Really really well written! RIP Dr Kurien
Avanika {Yumsilicious Bakes}´s last [type] ..One Bowl Chocolate Brownies
Deeba! It couldn’t have been written better! Methinks you have spoken on behalf of the Indian housewife ! I remember a time when ‘Ajanta’ cream was the only cream …- that was so difficult to source btw… and Amul changed it all. And ditto the case with Milkmaid. The flip to open tin is so handy…. Thanks for that wonderful read… And thanks to HBG for introducing me to your site!
So true! R.I.P to the milk man of india. Amul is the most renown indian brand internationally too. father of white revolution whose efforts changed the face of domestic farming in villages too…a real hero! Great post.
Mj@cardamomhills´s last [type] ..OATS POTPOURRI- STIR FRIED WHOLE OATS, BROCCOLI STEM & CHICKEN
Hi Deeba, what a tribute to this man I had no clue who he was before I read your post. Fascinating read about him pioneering agricultural, product and marketing (brand) revolution. It was interesting to read the history behind how this business was managed and progressed throughout the years in India. I never considered it might be different. Honestly didn’t cross my mind, which was the greatest revelation. I think we might take things for granted. No ignorance just a fact of life.
foodwanderings´s last [type] ..Apple Bourbon Bundt Cake
Lovely Deeba………really Dr Kurien is a inspiration to millions of dreamers…….your tribute is just perfect to show him that he was a REAL HERO at the grassroots level…………we will always rem’ber him when we bread our butter in the morning………