NEW DELHI, 6 January 2026: The Government of India has extended the tenure of Dr Meenesh Shah as Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for a further period of three-and-a-half years, reinforcing policy continuity at the helm of one of the country’s most influential cooperative-driven development institutions.
The decision, announced on 2 January 2026 from Anand, reflects the Centre’s endorsement of Dr Shah’s leadership and his role in strengthening India’s dairy and allied sectors at a time when farmer incomes, cooperative efficiency and value-chain resilience remain key policy priorities.
Dr Shah currently leads NDDB and chairs several of its strategic subsidiaries, including Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt Ltd (MDFVPL), IDMC Ltd, Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), NDDB Dairy Services (NDS), NDDB MRIDA Limited and NDDB CALF Ltd. His portfolio also extends across the wider cooperative ecosystem, where he serves as Chairman of the National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI), National Cooperative Organics Ltd (NCOL), the Animal Breeding Research Organisation, Anandalaya Education Society and the NDDB Foundation for Nutrition (NFN).
At the international level, Dr Shah represents India on the global dairy stage as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Dairy Federation (IDF) and as Member Secretary of the Indian National Committee of IDF, strengthening India’s engagement with global dairy policy and best practices.
With over four decades of experience, Dr Shah has played a central role in steering India’s dairy sector through phases of expansion, consolidation and modernization. Under his leadership, NDDB has focused on innovation-led growth, operational efficiency and institutional strengthening, with a particular emphasis on improving productivity and ensuring stable market access for millions of rural dairy farmers.
Industry observers note that continuity at the top of NDDB is critical as the sector navigates challenges such as input cost inflation, climate variability, animal health risks and the need for deeper value addition. NDDB’s expanding role across nutrition, animal breeding, organic farming and dairy services positions it as a cornerstone institution in the government’s broader cooperative and rural development agenda.
The extension of Dr Shah’s tenure signals the government’s intent to maintain strategic momentum in the dairy sector, leveraging cooperative structures to deliver inclusive growth, enhance farmer livelihoods and sustain India’s position as the world’s largest milk producer.
by Jagdish Kumar
