Mother Dairy’s Manish Bandlish quits, deputy MD to take charge

Mother Dairy managing director Manish Bandlish has resigned and will leave the company at the end of his notice period on 30 November, the Press Trust of India reported. The dairy major said Bandlish had chosen to pursue opportunities outside the organisation.

Bandlish joined Mother Dairy in March 2021 and led the company through a period marked by fluctuating input costs, supply-chain pressures and rising demand in urban markets. The firm, a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board, posted revenue of ₹17,500 crore in the last financial year.

In an emailed statement to PTI, Mother Dairy said Bandlish had “decided to step down from his position… in order to pursue his professional goals outside the company”, adding that it “extended sincere appreciation for his valuable contributions to the overall growth of the company”.

Until a successor is appointed, the deputy managing director will oversee operations under the guidance of the board, the company said.

Mother Dairy is one of India’s largest milk suppliers, selling more than 50 lakh litres per day across several states, including over 35 lakh litres daily in the Delhi–NCR region. Beyond dairy, the company markets edible oils under the Dhara brand and horticulture products under the Safal brand; it has also recently entered the bakery segment.

Founded in 1974 as part of Operation Flood — India’s landmark dairy development programme — Mother Dairy operates nine company-owned milk processing plants and several associated facilities across its edible oils and horticulture businesses.

The leadership transition comes at a time when India’s organised dairy sector is navigating higher feed costs, intense competition and evolving consumer preferences. The company is expected to focus on capacity expansion, efficiency improvements and product diversification as it prepares for its next phase of growth.