Sri P.K. Venkatachalam, B.Sc.BT.
Kaveri’s Bio Proteins Private Limited, India
Sri P.K. Venkatachalam, a farmer and technocrat, stands out as a dynamic, progressive, and visionary entrepreneur who has achieved remarkable success.
Having served for 11 years as a teacher in government educational institutions, he recognized the challenging socio-economic conditions faced by agricultural farmers in his hometown of Namakkal. Motivated to uplift them, he aimed to bring prosperity to impoverished rural agricultural families without requiring any capital investment. He studied and identified scientifically managed livestock farming as a viable and profitable business model suitable for uneducated farmers at that time.
He initiated a small commercial poultry farm with 600 birds in Namakkal, gaining practical insights into management, compatibility, and rural employment opportunities. Subsequently, he inspired and assisted like-minded friends, relatives, and fellow farmers to engage in poultry farming as an allied activity, achieving success in his efforts.
Additionally, he played a pivotal role as a founding promoter of the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC), collaborating with Dr. B.V. Rao to establish NECC. This initiative fostered unity and provided a strong voice for small farmers throughout India by establishing weekly prices for eggs and chicken and raw material costs and offering policy guidance to the government. This framework significantly influenced the poultry industry in India and continues to support Indian poultry farmers by shielding them from middlemen.
His successful entrepreneurial journey has served as a role model for thousands of farmers across India. Over the course of two decades, Namakkal has transformed from a hundred small farms to over ten thousand organized poultry farmers, earning significant recognition for Namakkal as The Poultry Town of India.
The challenges related to the availability of quality day-old chicks, nutritious feed, and medical supplies prompted him to seek ways to support farmers. This endeavor led him to establish hatcheries, feed mills, and agro-vet centers in Namakkal, collaborating with like-minded friends and associates to promote Kaveri Feeds, Selvam Hatcheries, and Tamilnadu Agro Vet Center. Their goal was to bring services directly to rural farmers through integrated business linkages. Eventually, all these initiatives were consolidated under one entity, Kaveri’s Bio Proteins Private Limited.
Currently, KBPL has expanded into various related activities, with a primary focus on biotech nutrition.
Over 100,000 farmers are benefiting from these efforts. Additionally, KBPL caters to the needs of millions of livestock customers, employing over 250 individuals and creating indirect job opportunities for thousands. Starting with a modest annual turnover of Rs. 2 lakh in 1970, the sales revenue soared to over 10 million USD in the financial year 2007-2008.
Sri P.K. Venkatachalam was born on March 6, 1947, in Kanavaipatti Village, Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu, India. His late father, Sri Kulandha Gounder Perumal, was a farmer, while his mother, Smt. Pavaiammal, was a homemaker. Mr. Venkatachalam completed his schooling in Vasanthapuram and pursued higher education at Ooty Government Arts & Science College, where he earned a B.Sc. and B.T. in science. He is married to Ms. Suseela, daughter of Sri Velusamy Gounder, and they are blessed with two sons and a daughter.
Mr. Venkatachalam has held various leadership roles during his college years and has organized numerous social initiatives. In response to the drought of the 1970s, the recent tsunami, and AIDS awareness campaigns, he actively coordinated donations and relief efforts from Namakkal district for the affected victims. He has consistently shown a strong commitment to rural development, particularly focusing on uplifting the impoverished and marginalized segments of society.
Sri Venkatachalam has held a variety of prestigious positions, including:
Founder promoter of the poultry industry in Namakkal – 1976.
Founder president of the Namakkal Egg Dealers Association – 1978-80.
Founder and Executive Committee Member of NECC from 1979 to 1982.
Chairman of NECC, Namakkal from 1989 to 1993.
President of the Tamilnadu Kozhi Pannaiyalargal Munnetra Sangam until 2002.
Member of the World Poultry Congress.
Member of the Board of Management at TANUVAS, Chennai from 1996 to 2000.
Member of the Planning Board at TANUVAS, Chennai from 1996 to 2002.
Secretary of the Indian Red Cross Society, Namakkal DST from 1997 to 2008.
Board Member of TNAU, Tamilnadu Agriculture University, Tamilnadu since 2008.
Sri Venkatachalam has received numerous accolades, including “Member of the World Poultry Congress,” “Best Rotarian of the Year,” and “Business Person of the Year” (Salem), among many others.