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Critiquing the one of the most “successful” operations in India seems to be the motto of Shanti George in this ground-breaking book of its time, Operation Flood. Ms. George surely has not taken the easier way out while putting this book together. It takes a marvellous amount of courage to assess an operation so humongous which often got positive reactions from most of the world and the mainstream development discourse during the time of its publication. She has in this publication, busted myths with plausible explanations that even the best of the promoters of the White Revolution cannot deny and this is what makes the book charming.

In this 1985 book Shanti George leaves no stone unturned to describe the Milk Revolution of India that was pioneered by Verghese Kurien. She has split this book into two (technically four parts, if the Introduction and Conclusion are termed as separate) parts; the first being Production and the second, Marketing after a general introduction to the book was given. This split has made it easier for readers to understand this critique better. The spilt has allowed the author to compartmentalise the history, evolution as well as technical aspects exceptionally well. The structure of the book makes it easier for the reader to read. The reasons for Operation Flood, the objectives, technicalities and goals as well as the limitations are discussed in the first part of the book. This part also discusses the connection between the Green and the White Revolution.

The second part explains the history of the Project and its evolution. This really sets up the aims as the goals of the project. The author then brings in Wrights observations and agrees with his colonial policies on Indian dairy. She discusses the ...

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...s yet to realise the impact of the Green Revolution here. The most striking point here for me was that there was a significant connection between the Green Revolution and the White Revolution.

The book is a pioneer in the area of critiquing mainstream developmental discourse. Though this discourse has had newer ideas over the past few years, the pioneer is always special to it. For this reason Shanti George’s name will be remembered. Though she has romanticised the notions of the era by-gone we can never go back to our past and bring it back. The only thing we can now do is to change our future so that we make better mistakes and not the same ones. We can shape our future in such a way that we learn from the past. Our future policies must take our past into consideration. This point made by the author is the biggest take away point for this book according to me.