Books : I too had a dream – Verghese Kurien (Gouri Salvi)

From Robbie Williams to Verghese Kurien – these are two diametrically opposite lives. I read them both. Read them almost one after the other. There is no comparison to say the least.

Verghese Kurien – I heard him talk once at a function in Mumbai organized by the Bombay Management Association. I never thought at that point in time that I would read his biography. But when a close friend wanted to gift me something and asked me to fetch books of my choice, the ones that I would like to carry I got this one.

It’s an amazing look into the development and growth of Amul. My chief learning from book includes:

• Cooperatives as a form of conducting business


• Democratic set up of cooperatives and how it fits in so well with the model required by the developing world.


• The true development is the development of men and women.


• If people are empowered they are capable of making the right choices


• Take the road less traveled.

There were too many quotes but I chose this one cos it stands on its own, cos it has no context and cos it says in few words the sentiments that many of us fail to realise:

Pg 228

“I have had one good idea in my life: that true development is the development of women and men. This idea took such a hold on me that I remained in this small sleepy town of Anand for over fifity years as an employee of the farmers. I was never able to give this up for what many call ‘a better life’. These years have, without an iota of doubt, been the most rewarding years of my life.”

How many of us would be able to say something similar towards the end of our careers, I wonder?