Former Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), Amul, the cooperative that runs the country's largest dairy business, has joined Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, a Reliance group company. He will be in an advisory role to give necessary advice to connect Reliance Retail with the farmers.
According to Rural Voice sources, Dr. R.S. Sodhi will remain with Reliance Retail in an advisory role and will not hold this position of a regular employee of the company. Dr. R.S. Sodhi had resigned from the post of Managing Director of Amul on January 9, 2023, which he had taken over in June, 2010. Two years before his resignation from the post of Managing Director of Amul, his term expired, after which the GCMMF board gave him an extension.
Dr. Sodhi is currently the President of the Indian Dairy Association and is also the Chairman of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), a Thanjavur-based Central Government Institute. About association with Reliance Dr. R.S. Sodhi declined to comment. According to the information received by Rural Voice, Dr. Sodhi will work to strengthen the system related to the farmers of Reliance Retail. This includes business related to fruits, vegetables and agricultural products.
Also read this: Amul revenue Rs 55,055 cr in FY23; turnover growth up 18.5%
Dr. Sodhi started his career in Amul in March 1982 as Senior Sales Officer and in June 2010 he became the Managing Director of Amul. The turnover of GCMMF was Rs 8005 crore in 2009-10 before Dr. Sodhi became the Managing Director, which increased to Rs 46,481 crore in 2021-22. The turnover of Amul has increased by 18.5 percent to Rs 55,055 crore in the financial year 2022-23.
Reliance Retail Ventures Limited is the retail business company of the Reliance Group and is currently the largest retail company in the country. In such a situation, Dr. Sodhi's association with it can prove beneficial for strengthening the food business which is important for its business growth. The success of the food business is dependent on good rapport with the producer farmers and Dr. Sodhi's long experience of leading the farmers' body GCMMF will help Reliance Retail strengthen this business.
However, according to Rural Voice information, it is unlikely that Dr. R.S. Sodhi will be associated with Reliance Retail for a very long time as his role is that of an advisor. Also he is affiliated with many other institutes. In which Indian Dairy Association is an important organization which he is working to make more active.