Today marks the beginning of my 33rd year with Amul.
I joined GCMMF on May 1, 1991 after graduating from IRMA. It was a dream job, with a caveat of a 3 year bond which would pay my education loan. That 3 has become 33 today and I am still in my first job serving the 36 lac farmers who own this brand Amul.
It is not practical to talk about a 3 decade long career in today’s world. Some learnings can still be of use to those who are beginning their career journey or in mid way..
The Indian economy was liberalised in 1991, the year I passed out of IRMA and joined Amul, interestingly by the Finance Minister who had presided over our IRMA convocation as the Dy Chairman of Planning Commission. So, the co-op doctrination and socialist orientation had to adapt to the forces that shape a market economy. At the credit of the leadership of Amul and the team here, the organisation brilliantly managed this change and from 15 lac litres avg daily procurement and Rs 720 crore annual sales turnover in 1991, it today handles 300 lac litres of milk everyday and the annual brand turnover has surpassed Rs 72,000 crores in 2022. And with the opportunity to become a dairy to the world, brand Amul is poised to conquer many more frontiers in the years to come.
It is also heartening to hear the Finance Minister announcing in the 2023 budget speech that “for farmers, especially small and marginal farmers, and other marginalised sections, the government is promoting cooperative-based economic development model. A new Ministry of Cooperation was formed with a mandate to realise the vision of ‘Sahakar Se Samriddhi’.”
Of the several initiatives of the new cooperation ministry, Amul has got the opportunity to promote 2 new Multi state cooperatives for Exports and Organics and also help usher in the White Revolution 2.0 to form 2 lac new dairy co-ops in the country in the uncovered 5 lac villages.
So, rather than just looking back with satisfaction of 32 years of career in a cooperative, it is the excitement of participation in the India growth story through the cooperative model in the years to come!
Thankfully, every day of my career so far has been a new experience, full of learning and it’s this excitement of the first day at a start-up that keeps me going.
