National Dairy Research Institute

Imperial origins (1923–1955)

The institution was founded as the Imperial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in Bangalore in 1923.^[1] It was established as a centre for dairy education to support the growing colonial dairy sector. In 1927, the facility was visited by Mahatma Gandhi and Madan Mohan Malaviya, who underwent technical training in cattle management and indigenous dairy production methods. The institute was renamed the Imperial Dairy Institute in 1936.^[2]

Notably, Dr. Verghese Kurien, who would later become known as the "Father of the White Revolution", spent nine months at the Imperial Dairy Institute in Bangalore in 1946 receiving specialized training in dairy engineering before being posted to Anand.^[3]

Expansion in Karnal (1955–present)

Following Indian independence, the headquarters were relocated to Karnal in 1955 and the facility was renamed the National Dairy Research Institute.^[2] In 1970, administrative control was transferred to the ICAR. The institute played a pivotal role in providing the scientific framework for the White Revolution, supporting the technical requirements of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Livestock breeding and cloning

The institute is recognized globally for its work in "hand-guided" cloning techniques. In 2009, it successfully produced "Samrupa", the world's first cloned buffalo calf, followed by "Garima". A subsequent clone, "Garima-II", was born in 2010. In 2013, Garima-II successfully gave birth to a female calf named "Mahima", marking a global first and demonstrating the reproductive viability of cloned livestock.^[4]

The institute also developed major synthetic cattle breeds, including the Karan Swiss (1963) and the Karan Fries (1982), the latter being a crossbreed of Holstein Friesian and indigenous Tharparkar lineages.^[5]

Animal nutrition and feed technology

A core mandate of the NDRI is improving livestock productivity through advanced nutrition. The institute's Animal Nutrition division pioneered the development of "bypass protein" technology in India, which protects high-quality dietary proteins from degradation in the rumen, increasing milk yield and protein content in dairy cattle.^[6]

Dairy processing and commercial technology

The institute is highly regarded for its commercial technology transfers, most notably the development of rapid, strip-based milk adulteration detection kits. These paper-strip kits allow consumers and dairies to easily detect harmful adulterants such as neutralizers, urea, and detergents in milk.^[7]

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)

As part of its extension mandate under the ICAR, the institute operates a Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Agricultural Science Centre) at the Karnal campus. The KVK acts as a frontline extension hub to transfer agricultural, livestock, and dairy technologies directly to rural farmers, women, and youth through hands-on training.