Every year, India celebrates 26 November, as the National Milk Day. The dairy cooperative movement inspired by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led to the formation of Amul in 1946 which was replicated across the country, resulting in India emerging as the largest producer of milk in the world.
Amul, as the world’s largest farmer owned dairy cooperative and strongest food and dairy brand in the world is celebrating this event by organizing four mega car and bike rallies from four corners of India, Pune, Kolkata, Jammu and Himmatnagar in Gujarat ultimately converging in Delhi on 26th November at the National Milk Day celebration organized by the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.
On this occasion, 24 Maruti Suzuki BioCNG cars and 24 Bajaj bio CNG bikes driven by the Amul team shall make its way through various states and engage with farmers, dairy cooperatives, and institutions along the route to honour and celebrate the legacy of dairy cooperatives and spread awareness about the principles of circular economy and the importance of sustainability.
The Amul Clean Fuel Rally, which began in Pune on November 15, reached Jaipur on November 22nd, where over 250 bikers joined the rally to celebrate National Milk Day and highlight the importance of clean fuel and sustainability. The rally was flagged off at Patrika Gate by Ms. Shruti Bhardwaj, Managing Director of the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF), and proceeded through Jaipur city, covering a 6-kilometer stretch along Jawaharlal Nehru Marg. It was joined by RCDF and GCMMF (Amul) officials as well as channel partners who came together to support the cause of clean fuel and sustainable practices.
At the event, Ms. Bhardwaj emphasized the crucial role of clean fuel in improving the lives of farmers and empowering cooperatives to adopt sustainable, eco-friendly practices. While paying tribute to Dr. Verghese Kurien, she highlighted his instrumental role in making India the world’s largest milk producer and establishing organizations like Amul and Saras under challenging conditions. She also emphasized the transformative impact of Operation Flood which lifted millions of Indians out of poverty and contributed significantly to the success of the White Revolution. Addressing the rally, Ms. Bharadwaj commended the rally participants for this initiative and expressed her confidence that this would carry the message of sustainability to every corner of the nation.
The Amul Clean Fuel Rallyaims to raise awareness about the benefits of clean fuel and promote the adoption of sustainable practices that are essential for the well-being of farmers, the environment, and future generations.
With its BioCNG pilot project in Banas Dairy, Gujarat, Amul is now striving to become a key player in representing the circular economy. This initiative not only provides farmers with an additional income source but also offers clean fuel and organic fertilizer. By setting up multiple plants across the state for processing dung, it underscores the positive and sustainable impact of this project on both the agricultural and energy sectors.
It is also a matter of great honour that India is hosting the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)’s global conference for the first time in its 130-year history at New Delhi from 25-30 November.
The mega global event, on the theme “Cooperatives Build Prosperity for All”, is likely to be graced by the Hon Prime Minister of India and Hon. Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation and the event shall officially launch the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC2025) in the presence of global leaders, academics and practitioners. A special screening of Amul’s national award- winning film Manthan will be organized at ICA’s Global Conference for all the delegates on 26th November at Bharat Mandapam.