Over 10,180 people across India and abroad have signed a petition seeking a Bharat Ratna for Dr V Kurien, better known as India’s milkman. The campaign now seeks public support for the next phase, which is to bring it to the attention of decision makers. There is also a suggestion to recognise 26th November, Dr Kurien’s birthday as ‘Sahkarya Kranti Diwas’ to start a movement for positive change and inclusive growth. A 1988 convocation address at IIM-Ahmedabad show how relevant this is even today.

The online petition for a Bharat Ratna for one of India’s most deserving sons—Dr Verghese Kurien—has so far received 10,180  signatures and the number is still growing.
 

Support for the petition has come from all over India and from abroad too—it cuts across all geographical, religious and ethnic boundaries.
 

As @ManyuShakti put it on twitter: Happy to hear that finally 10,000 squirrels built a bridge to reach Rashtrapathi Bhavan to submit Bharat Ratna petition :-)
 

The question is, What Next?  According to Sucheta Dalal, managing editor of Moneylife, who started the petition, the signatures are only the beginning, the hard work begins now! “The idea is to reach out to the President of India. Our www.change.org/kurien# petition, once closed, will be emailed to the Rashtrapati and the Padma Award Committee members,” she says. If you want to sign even now, please click the link above.
 

Anand Halve, author and co-founder of chlorophyll has a unique suggestion. He says, “We will push hard for the Bharat Ratna for Dr Kurien, but why wait for the government to do something.  The petition got people to think about Dr Kurien’s towering contribution to  empowering the poorest people—especially farmers. Why not to build on that for positive change?”
 

Mr Halve suggests we should remember Dr Kurien’s contribution on his birth anniversary, 26^th November and celebrate this day as “Sahkarya Kranti Diwas”, and re-dedicate ourselves to give something back to the society.
 

Creating positive change: Remembering Dr V Kurien,

Architect of India's white revolution

 Sahakarya Kranti Diwas: 26 November 2012

* We invite you to send us ideas and suggestions on how to initiate positive change.

* We urge you to think up ways to mark this day in every town and village of India.

* Those of you who know any of the Padma committee members may like to write to them to push for this most deserved recognition to the architect of the White Revolution! Here are names and email IDs.

* This is purely a public effort with absolutely no corporate support or involvement

The petition will be delivered to:

Pranab Mukherjee, President of India:
presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
 

Padma Committee Members:

1. Mr Jamshyd N Godrej - jngodrej@godrej.com

2. Mrs Amal Allana - Chairperson, National School of Drama - nationalschoolofdrama@gmail.com, info@nsd.gov.in,

3. Ms Leela Samson - Chairperson, Sangeet Natak Adademy - chairman@sangeetnatak.gov.in

4. Dr R Chidambaram - Principal Scientific Advisor to Govt of India - rc@barc.gov.in

5. Mr Girish Karnad – email ID not available (Letter sent by speed post)

6. Mr Pulok Chatterjee, Principal Secretary to PM - pmosb@pmo.nic.in

7. Mrs Omita Paul, Secretary to the President - pstopresident@rb.nic.in, presssecyrb@gmail.com

8. Mr Ajit Kumar Seth, Cabinet Secretary - cabinetsy@nic.in

9. Mr RK Singh, Home Secretary - hshso@nic.in
 

Meanwhile, you may want to read a speech delivered by Dr Kurien in 1998 at IIM Ahmedabad, which is relevant even today…