National Dairy Research Institute

What National Dairy Research Institute does

National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), headquartered in Karnal, Haryana, is India's apex national dairy research body. Founded in 1922 and currently operating as an autonomous institution under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, NDRI carries Deemed University status awarded by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The institute conducts basic and applied research across the full dairy value chain — animal genetics and breeding, animal nutrition, animal physiology, animal biochemistry, dairy chemistry, dairy microbiology, dairy engineering, dairy technology, food technology, and food safety — through 12 specialized research divisions, supported by a livestock farm holding more than 2,000 dairy animals and supported by Southern Regional Station (Bengaluru) and Eastern Regional Station (Kalyani) campuses.

NDRI's academic portfolio includes B.Tech in Dairy Technology, M.Sc. in multiple disciplines, M.Tech, and Ph.D. programs, making it the only institution in India to deliver a full B.Tech degree in Dairy Technology. Curriculum delivery is multilingual (English and Hindi), and the institute publishes peer-reviewed research through an in-house journal and library stocking approximately 10,000+ volumes. Notable scientific achievements include the production of India's first cloned buffalo (GARIMA-II) and the first cloned cow (GANGA), and the development of 100+ technologies ready for commercialization with industry partners.

Commercially, NDRI operates as a government grant-funded institution (primary revenue from ICAR / DARE) supplemented by tuition and examination fees, consultancy services, licensing of developed technologies, professional training programs, and sales of dairy products (functional ghee, lassi, flavored milk, paneer analogues) from its experimental dairy. The SHITIJ 2.0 Incubation Program extends the institute's commercialization surface into startup incubation and technology transfer. Strategic customer relationships in the placement and tech-licensing sense include leading Indian dairy processors (Amul, Mother Dairy, Nestle India, Hatsun Agros, Heritage Foods) and broader food-pharma (Abbott), while downstream beneficiaries include state agricultural universities, dairy cooperatives, and the National Dairy Development Board.

Name

National Dairy Research Institute

Legal name

ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal

Website

https://ndri.res.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) is India's apex dairy research body and Deemed University under ICAR, conducting applied dairy research, training B.Tech/M.Sc./Ph.D. students, and licensing dairy technologies and products to industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Research and Education

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Creamery Butter Manufacturing (311512), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Fats & Oils (2070), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Butter & Ghee Manufacturing (AFAKAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Salted & Unsalted Butter Manufacturing (Retail/Consumer Packs) (AFAHACAC), Dairy Breeding & Genetics (AI, Embryo Transfer) (AFAEACAD), Butter & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir) Wholesale (AFAIAEAB)

Keywords

• Dairy research institute
• Dairy technology education
• Animal biotechnology research
• Agricultural technology transfer
• Food technology training

Headquarters

HQ city

Karnal

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Research Grants: Core funding from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India for research and development activities
2. Academic Programs: Revenue from B.Tech, Masters, and Ph.D. programs through tuition fees for students in dairy technology, biotechnology, and food technology disciplines
3. Consultancy Services: Fee-based consulting and technical services provided to dairy industry, farmers, and other organizations requiring expertise in dairy science and technology
4. Technology Commercialization: Licensing fees and royalties from commercialization of developed technologies including dairy products, testing kits, and process innovations
5. Training Programs: Revenue from specialized training programs on dairy processing, quality analysis, and related topics for industry professionals
6. Experimental Dairy Operations: Sales revenue from milk and milk products produced at the institute's experimental dairy facility

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, is India's premier dairy research institution functioning as a Deemed University. It conducts dairy science research across 12 specialized divisions, offers B.Tech, Master's, and Ph.D. academic programs in dairy technology, biotechnology, and food technology, and commercializes developed technologies (detection kits, fortified products, breeding techniques) to industry through its technology transfer units and business incubators.

Product overview

ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, is India's premier dairy research institution operating under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. Functioning as a Deemed University, NDRI offers a portfolio of academic programmes (B.Tech in Dairy Technology/Biotechnology/Food Technology, Master's degrees, and Ph.D. programmes across dairy science disciplines), conducts applied and fundamental research across 12 specialized divisions covering the full dairy value chain (from animal genetics and nutrition through dairy processing, chemistry, microbiology, and engineering), and transfers developed technologies to industry through its technology transfer units (ITMU, ITMC, ZTMC). NDRI's ecosystem includes a Technology Business Incubator (TBI), Agri-Business Incubation Programme (ABI), an Experimental Dairy producing milk products including special formulations (Low-Cholesterol Ghee, Bajra Lassi), a Web-based Dairy Information System (WIDS), referral laboratory services, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) extension services, and training programmes for farmers and industry professionals. The institute also commercializes specific technologies (detection tests for milk adulteration, mineral supplements, fortified food products) developed through its R&D.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Programmes (B.Tech, Masters, Ph.D.)

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ technologies developed and available for commercialization
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization providing administrative oversight, funding, and strategic direction. NDRI operates as an autonomous institution under ICAR, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
• Department of Biotechnology (DBT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment funding agency supporting biotechnology research projects. Assets acquired under DBT grants for advanced research infrastructure.
• Agricultural UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with state agricultural universities for joint research, faculty exchange, and academic program development in dairy science.
• State Dairy CooperativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with state-level dairy cooperative unions for technology transfer, field trials, and extension activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• AgResearch: AgResearch is New Zealand's Crown Research Institute specializing in pastoral and animal science, including dairy cattle genetics, reproduction, and forage research. It offers a comparable public-sector dairy science research model in a different geography.
• Teagasc: Teagasc is Ireland's national agriculture and food development authority, conducting applied dairy and livestock research with technology transfer to farmers and industry. It is a regional peer with a similar public-sector research and extension mandate.

Direct peers

• Anand Agricultural University: Anand Agricultural University is located in the heart of India's dairy cooperative movement (Amul) and conducts dairy science research and education with strong industry integration, paralleling NDRI's positioning in Karnal.
• Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU): GADVASU is a state veterinary and animal sciences university in Punjab with significant dairy science research and extension activities, comparable to NDRI's regional dairy research scope and academic structure.
• ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI): IARI is NDRI's sister ICAR institution and India's premier agricultural research body. Both are autonomous deemed universities under ICAR, conducting crop and livestock research with similar academic, technology transfer, and extension structures.
• Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS): TANUVAS is a dedicated veterinary and animal sciences university in India offering dairy technology programs and conducting livestock research, making it a structurally comparable peer to NDRI.
• ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI): IVRI is another sister ICAR institution focused on veterinary and animal science research. It shares NDRI's mandate for animal health, biotechnology, and education, with overlapping academic programs and a similar government-funded research structure.

Broad incumbents

• University of Wisconsin-Madison (College of Agricultural & Life Sciences): UW-Madison hosts one of the world's leading dairy science programs covering dairy processing, animal breeding, and dairy economics, making it a global incumbent peer in dairy research and education.
• Wageningen University & Research: Wageningen is the global benchmark for agricultural and food science research, including dairy processing and animal sciences. Its scale and international scope make it a broad incumbent peer setting research standards NDRI aspires to.
• Cornell University (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences): Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is a leading global institution in dairy food science, animal science, and agricultural economics, providing a comparable research-plus-education model at a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=n0jtfQtyifk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-dairy-research-institute-university

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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