Kalpetta: Bindu Shaji of Mangad has been selected as the Best Woman Dairy Farmer in the South Zone for 2025 by the Indian Dairy Association.

Bindu Shaji runs a scientifically managed dairy unit with a total herd strength of 115 cattle, including 67 milch cows. The herd also includes 14 dry cows, 13 heifers, six bull calves, 13 female calves, one bull, and one buffalo. The unit is among those producing an average of around 850 litres of milk per day.

The 11 acre farm is fully dedicated to fodder cultivation, with sustainability and zero waste practices forming its core strengths. Cow dung is machine dried and supplied to nurseries and agricultural fields, while the remaining slurry is utilised for biogas production. Surplus slurry is transported in tankers and distributed to coffee plantations and other farms.

The farm is equipped with modern infrastructure, including loose housing sheds for calves, a separate enclosure for newborns and a continuous water supply system for each animal. A member of the Theneri Milk Producers Society since 2018, Bindu Shaji supplies her entire milk output through the cooperative network.

She received the award from Union Minister Chirag Paswan at the inaugural session of the Dairy Industry Conference and Exhibition held in New Delhi.