Vergis Kurien Class 9 English Chapter 6 Summary: I Too Had a Dream

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About the Chapter: I Too Had a Dream 

"I Too Had a Dream" forms the final chapter of Unit 2 in Class 9 English. Unlike a conventional narrative, the chapter is structured entirely as a letter that Vergis Kurien, the man behind Amul, writes to his grandson. The chapter's title itself carries the name of the central figure — Vergis Kurien — signalling that this is a personal, reflective piece rather than a story with external characters.

Kurien is widely known as the Father of the White Revolution in India. The mention of "White Revolution" points directly to the story behind India's most recognised dairy brand, Amul — the brand behind the popular tagline "Amul doodh peeta hai India." Kurien is credited with turning Amul into a nationwide, and eventually world-famous, cooperative movement.

Amul is not a recent brand. It was founded in 1946, a year before India's independence, with a singular purpose: to deliver milk and milk-based products to every Indian household in the right quality and the right quantity. Since milk is an essential part of everyday Indian households, this mission carried real significance for millions of families.

Why Vergis Kurien Preferred Letters Over Phone Calls

The letter opens in Anand, Gujarat, in 2005. Anand is significant here — it is the town where Amul actually began, and it gives the brand its full form: Amul stands for Anand Milk Union Limited.

Kurien begins by admitting he can barely remember when he last wrote to his grandson. He observes that in today's fast-paced world, people have become dependent on instant communication like phone calls, because it feels quicker and easier. But he notes that a phone call only offers an immediate, fleeting joy.

Writing, Kurien explains, is different. A letter does more than communicate present-day concerns — it becomes a possession, something that can be treasured and reread over the years with lasting pleasure. This is why he chooses to write rather than call: he wants his grandson to be able to return to these words decades later and understand them with fresh eyes, as a "gentle reminder" of the world his grandparents lived and worked in.

The Dream Behind Amul and the White Revolution 

Kurien tells his grandson that he began his working life soon after India became independent. At that time, he felt the most meaningful contribution young people like him could make was to help build "an India of our dreams" — a nation where people would not only hold their heads high in freedom, but also be free from hunger and poverty.

He describes wanting a nation where people could live with equal respect and love for one another, and one that could eventually be counted among the foremost nations of the world. It was in pursuing this vision, he says, that he realised something important: choosing to lead a certain kind of life often means setting aside the desire to pursue other, easier options.

This shift, he tells his grandson, took shape within him roughly 50 years earlier — around the time he agreed to work for a small dairy farmers' cooperative that was struggling for survival, with almost no reliable income source at the time.

💡 Reflection shared by Vergis Kurien in the chapter: Serving the nation's farmers was not the career he had originally imagined for himself — but a series of events led him to a choice that would transform his entire life.

The Career Vergis Kurien Chose Not to Pursue 

Kurien is candid about the paths he gave up. He mentions that he could have pursued a career in metallurgy and become the chief executive of a large company. He could also have taken a commission in the Indian Army and possibly retired as a general. A third option was leaving for the United States and becoming a highly successful NRI.

He chose none of these, because somewhere deep down he felt his contribution would be more meaningful by working in Anand, Gujarat instead.

He also credits his grandmother's role in this decision. She knew that life in Anand at the time could not offer even the simple comforts many take for granted today, yet she strongly and firmly supported his choice to live and work there. Kurien writes that her decision to stand by him gave him an everlasting strength, one that helped him carry out his responsibilities with poise — a calm and confident manner.

Whenever he received recognition for his contribution to the country's progress, Kurien says he always emphasised that it was really a recognition of the many people he had the privilege of being associated with — not his achievement alone.

Lessons on Integrity and Personal Values 

Kurien tells his grandson that his contribution was possible because he consistently adhered to certain values — values inherited from his parents and family elders, and values he observed in his mentor and supporter in Anand, Tribhuvandas Patel.

Among these values, Kurien speaks most often of integrity — being honest with yourself. He explains that if a person is always honest with themselves, being honest with others follows naturally. But if you are not honest with yourself, you cannot truly be honest with others either.

This is a key idea for students to remember: Kurien links self-honesty directly to the ability to build trust with other people. A person who is clear about their own values and boundaries is far more likely to be seen as trustworthy by others.

Life as a Privilege: Contributing to the Common Good 

Kurien describes life itself as a privilege, and says wasting it would be wrong. He tells his grandson to accept responsibility for himself and to always use his talents to the best of his ability, contributing in whatever way he can to the common good.

He adds that opportunities for this "common good" present themselves every day, in small forms — a friend who may need help, a teacher who might be looking for a volunteer, or a community that needs a contribution. The point Kurien makes is that one doesn't need to wait for a grand opportunity; everyday chances to help are always around, if you look for them.

Understanding Success and Failure in Kurien's Words

Kurien offers his grandson a distinct definition of failure. He says failure is not about not succeeding. Rather, failure is about not putting in your best effort and not contributing — however modestly — to the common good.

He also acknowledges that things can go wrong at any time in life, and often do. But he points out that there is only a small correlation between the actual circumstances of a person's life and how happy they are. Most people, he notes, compare themselves to someone they believe is happier — a relative, an acquaintance, or even someone they barely know.

When people look closer, Kurien says, they often realise they were only seeing an image of perfection, not the full picture. Understanding this, he says, helps a person appreciate what they have rather than dwelling on what they don't.

The Padma Vibhushan Medal Story

Kurien recalls a specific memory with his grandson: the ceremony in Delhi where the President awarded him the Padma Vibhushan in 1999, for his contribution to the country's progress through Amul. His grandson had accompanied him, slipped the medal around his own neck, and innocently asked if he could keep it.

Kurien and his wife told the boy that the medal was as much his as it was Kurien's — but that he should not be satisfied merely by keeping the award. The real challenge before him, they told him, was to earn his own reward through the work he does in his own lifetime.

Kurien's Final Message to the Next Generation 

Kurien closes the letter with a message meant not just for his grandson, but for children of that generation across the country. He says that if a person is brave enough to love, strong enough to rejoice in others' happiness, and wise enough to know that there is enough to go around for everyone, then they would have lived their life to the fullest.

He dedicates these reflections to his grandson and to the many children of his generation, hoping that reading them will inspire young people to go out into the world and work tirelessly in their chosen field for the larger good of the country and of humanity. He reminds his grandson that the only true rewards in life are the ones that come from a life well spent.