Kurien an icon: PM

New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday condoled the passing away of Verghese Kurien, the progenitor of the "white revolution in India", and lauded him as an "an icon of India’s cooperative movement and the dairy industry".

"Dr. Kurien was an outstanding and innovative manager and an exceptional human being. His contribution to the welfare of the farmer and agricultural production and development of the country is immeasurable," Manmohan Singh said in a condolence message sent to his widow Molly Kurien.

"In his long and illustrious career, Dr. Kurien set up the Anand model of cooperative dairy development, engineered the White Revolution, and made India the largest milk producer in the world," said the prime minister.

"His greatest contribution was to give a position of pre-eminence to the farmer and his or her interests rather than those of middlemen."

Kurien Sunday passed away at the Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital in Gujarat.

He headed the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation for several decades and transformed Amul into an icon brand and a company with over $2 billion turnover.

Manmohan Singh said Kurien’s death has left behind "a void that would be very difficult to fill".

"He will always be widely respected and admired for his ability to inspire and bring out the best from ordinary people," said the prime minister.

–Indo-Asian News Service