From Survival to Lakhpati Didi: Shreeja Turns Dairying Into A Respected Profession
From Tirupati to global acclaim, Shreeja turns dairying into a path of dignity and prosperity for rural women.
In Telugu, Shreeja means Lakshmi — the goddess of prosperity. True to its name, Shreeja Mahila Milk Producer Organisation, headquartered in Tirupati, has become a beacon of hope and financial freedom for thousands of rural women.
From once struggling to buy notebooks for their children to now proudly depositing university fees in banks, nearly 29,000 women members of Shreeja have turned into “Lakhpati Didis”, each earning over Rs 1 lakh annually from milk bills.
Founded in 2014 with the technical support of NDDB Dairy Services, Shreeja has grown into the world’s largest women-owned dairy cooperative, with 1.2 lakh members spread across 14 districts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. An overwhelming 95% of its members are small and marginal farmers owning just two or three milch animals. Yet, with determination and Shreeja’s structured support, they have transformed dairying into a respected and profitable profession.
With 4,053 pooling points, Shreeja collects 7.27 lakh kg of milk daily, ensuring transparent and timely fortnightly payments directly into women’s bank accounts. Since inception, more than Rs 5,004 crore has been transferred as milk bill payments, empowering rural women with socio-economic independence.
NDDB and its subsidiary, NDS, have played a critical role by providing training in animal care, hygiene, governance and digital tools. Women now monitor milk quality, make cooperative decisions, and even handle data-driven strategies as board members.
Expanding its vision, Shreeja has also ventured into seed production in Kadiri and Kadapa, covering maize and sunflower crops with promising results. This year, it plans 1,000 acres of seed production and is preparing to install 50 Bulk Milk Chilling Units under a JICA-supported project.
Recognising its transformative impact, the Andhra Pradesh government has allotted 47.49 acres in Kuppam for Shreeja’s Rs 300-crore integrated dairy project. This includes a 4-lakh litre per day processing plant, a 30-MT skimmed milk powder unit and a 2-MTPD cattle feed plant, expected to create 800 jobs and boost rural livelihoods.
Shreeja has also committed Rs 6.5 crore for an innovative livestock “health kit” developed with Indian Immunologicals Ltd under the Government of India’s One Health initiative, further enhancing animal welfare and productivity.
The organisation’s remarkable journey has received global acclaim, including the Innovation in Women Empowerment in the Dairy Sector award at the World Dairy Summit 2023 in Chicago, where it stood out among 173 countries.
From survival to self-reliance, Shreeja has proved how transparency, training and collective strength can empower women to become true symbols of prosperity. Living up to its name, Shreeja is not just giving women Lakshmi — it is helping them become Lakshmi themselves.
