India’s dairy board begins search for new chair

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in India is having its second chairman retire. This is unusual as the NDDB has only had two chairmen over nearly 50 years.. After serving for 15 years, Dr Amrita Patel has decided not to continue as chairman of NDDB when her present term in office expires in November this year. Patel has served three terms of five years each as chairman of the national board, which is the top body for dairy development in the country.

Dr Verghese Kurien, known as India’s milkman,  had made way for his protege Patel to succeed him as chairman of NDDB. He was its founder chairman between 1965 and 1998. In August, Patel wrote to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar requesting them to select her successor. The government is expected to issue  an order to form a search panel to shortlist candidates for the post.