“I was one of 7 children and growing up, there were many days where my parents couldn’t provide even one meal for us all. So at the age of 10, my father sent me to Baishnabnagar to work as a child labourer on a dairy farm.

I took care of milking cows and their calves - working long, hard days – and slowly learnt all there was to know about dairy cattle. After 15 years of dedicated service, the farm owner gifted me one milking cow.

And so I returned home with my cow and the money I’d saved, and started my own milk business - collecting milk from villagers and SHG members, and on-selling it in the local township.

Within a few years, I bought four more cattle and today, people refer to me a ‘progressive milkman’ – who would have thought! I earn a handsome return, and feel proud that I’ve developed a milk supply chain in the locality.” - Kush Sardar, Farakka, West Bengal