Known in the industry as the man who pushed for QUALITY in Indian dairy, Dr. Sudhindra Tatti, CEO of Prompt Innovations, is a rare leader who combines deep tech expertise with a grassroots understanding of agriculture. Under his leadership, Prompt has redefined what’s possible for India’s fragmented dairy supply chain, placing transparency, sustainability, and farmer empowerment at the core of dairy transformation.
Dr. Tatti, as CEO of Prompt Innovations, you’ve been at the forefront of transforming dairy through technology. Could you share your journey into the sector and how it led you to helm one of India’s most innovative dairy tech companies?
My journey into the dairy tech sector was unplanned, but in hindsight, it feels like it was meant to be. At the time, I was serving as the Chief Operating Officer at the National Centre for Flexible Electronics at IIT Kanpur. My role was to act as a bridge between cutting-edge academic research and industry applications. I was deeply passionate about solving real-world problems through technology. Still, I had never imagined that passion would one day take me to the heart of India’s dairy sector, through being introduced to PROMPT.
What began as helping them develop an instant milk chiller quickly became much more meaningful. As I spent more time understanding the dairy ecosystem, I realised the massive potential for technology to transform this space. There was a clear need for sustainable, energy-efficient solutions that could empower farmers and bring greater transparency and quality assurance to the dairy value chain.
I saw an opportunity to make a real difference at the grassroots level, using technology to support one of the most essential sectors of our economy. We decided to create Prompt Innovations.
Today, I’m proud to be part of a team purposefully driving change. At Prompt, we are not just building products—we are building trust, improving livelihoods, and strengthening the bond between farmers and dairies. We’re committed to ensuring transparency, quality, and sustainability across the dairy ecosystem.
Looking back, what seemed accidental initially has become a very rewarding chapter of my career.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for the Indian dairy ecosystem over the next five years? Where do you see the most critical inflexion points—and opportunities—for innovation and impact?
Our first focus will be improving milk quality. While we can be proud to be the largest producer of milk in the world, we have a long way to go. With innovations like MilkoChill and other cold chain solutions, we intend to contribute significantly to this goal.
Our vision is to make dairy farming climate-conscious and offer a range of sustainable, innovative solutions to help decarbonise the dairy supply chain. I think the dairy industry is staring at many challenges, and milk quality will become increasingly important. Also, there will be pressures for carbon footprint reduction and dairy sector contribution towards the national goal of Net Zero. These will become opportunities for innovators and startups to develop innovative products and services. There are lots of opportunities to improve cattle productivity, and solutions for feeds, genetics, pregnancy detection, and disease treatment will become increasingly important.
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
Prompt DairyTech has built a reputation for practical, scalable solutions for India’s fragmented dairy sector. What innovations are you most proud of, and how are they reshaping farmer engagement and milk collection?
Our core innovations directly address the critical needs of India’s dairy sector through advanced milk quality preservation systems, comprehensive testing, and robust supply chain transparency.
Our integrated approach, powered by our digital platform and chilling infrastructure, revolutionises farmer engagement and milk collection by prioritising milk quality and transparency at every stage.
- Milk Quality Preservation Systems: Our energy-efficient Instant Milk Chiller, MilkoChill, is specifically designed for rural conditions. It ensures optimal milk temperature from the point of collection, prevents spoilage, and maintains quality. Integrated smart monitoring systems provide real-time temperature data, enabling proactive intervention to safeguard milk integrity.
- Comprehensive Milk Testing Systems: Our digital platform integrates with automated milk testing devices at collection centres, providing instant and accurate measurements of key quality parameters (fat, SNF, adulteration, etc). This ensures transparent quality-based pricing for farmers and provides processors with reliable data for quality control. All test results are digitally recorded and accessible, fostering trust.
- Robust Supply Chain Transparency Systems: Our digital platform provides end-to-end traceability of the milk supply chain, from the farmer to the processing plant. Every transaction and quality check is digitally recorded, offering complete visibility and accountability.
Speaking of MilkoChill, could you share more about how this innovation impacts milk quality, sustainability, and smallholder farmers?
MilkoChill represents a game-changing shift for dairy quality preservation. It chills 250 litres of milk from 35°C to 7°C within just an hour, with the lowest energy consumption in the industry—only about 12 units of electricity per day.
MilkoChill can run on solar power, drastically reducing dependence on diesel generators and cutting carbon emissions. Its unique heat recovery system also supplies hot water for cleaning-in-place (CIP), optimising resource use.
In real-world installations across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam, and Jammu, MilkoChill has extended milk shelf life by improving MBRT (microbial quality) up to four times and significantly enhanced farmer income by reducing spoilage. It’s not just a chiller; it’s a catalyst for sustainability, resilience, and inclusive rural growth.
MilkoChill is truly an example of how innovative technology can align with the ESG (Energy, Sustainability, Growth) framework and help the dairy sector fight climate change while uplifting small farmers.
India’s dairy supply chain is highly decentralised. How does Prompt design affordable and adaptable technology to smallholder realities without compromising on quality or data integrity?
Our approach is to democratise technology for the dairy sector. We achieve this by focusing on solutions that are:
- Economically Viable: Affordable for smallholders and cooperatives.
- Operationally Simple: Easy to use and maintain in rural environments.
- Technologically Sound: Ensuring accuracy, reliability, and security of data.
- Locally Relevant: Adaptable to the specific needs and contexts of different regions and farm sizes.
By adhering to these principles, Prompt DairyTech empowers even the smallest stakeholders in India’s decentralised dairy supply chain to participate in a technologically advanced ecosystem without compromising the quality of their operations or the integrity of the crucial data that drives it.
INDIA TO THE WORLD
As global demand for robust, cost-effective dairy tech rises, how is Prompt positioning itself in international markets? What sets Indian-born innovation apart when serving diverse global dairy landscapes?
This is the biggest opportunity, and the time is right for us to grab a large market share of the global market. So far, we have been inward-focused, but over the years, we have become experts at creating “affordable” solutions to a variety of problems—adulteration, disease detection, disease cure, analytical and testing equipment, software, etc.
All these solutions are equally required for parts of the world with demographics similar to India (smallholder farmers, small collection centres, large distances, extreme climate conditions), and we are best suited to take our products overseas.
In the context of ‘Make in India’ and global trade realignments, do you believe Indian dairy technology can lead the world? What’s needed to accelerate that journey?
At Prompt, we have always believed in “Making in India”, and our in-house manufacturing has always been a distinguishing feature compared to our competitors. This will enable us to spread our wings across the globe. What will be required is further focus on quality, international certifications, and superior service.
SUSTAINABILITY & RESILIENCE
Sustainability is often seen as a premium concern, but it’s a necessity in India. How is the sector adapting and enabling environmentally responsible practices within a smallholder-dominated sector?
Yes, absolutely! The impact of climate change will be most felt by smallholder farmers and their cattle. Hence, it is important that we take sustainability seriously—not just because it is a global requirement. Adoption of distributed Renewable Energy solutions will be key to the sector’s energy transition.
We must ensure that our villages have clean, safe drinking water and reliable energy resources for organic agriculture and the circular economy.
INSPIRATION & OUTLOOK
As a leader in dairy tech, what advice would you give to young professionals and entrepreneurs who want to contribute meaningfully to the future of Indian agriculture and food systems?
Indian agriculture and dairy are at the cusp of transformation, and there has never been a better time to innovate.
I want to offer the following challenges:
- Move from jugaad and low-cost fixes to creating real, scalable value-added products and services for India and the world.
- Don’t be afraid of failure—embrace it. The ecosystem today is more supportive than ever.
- Focus on fundamental problems at the grassroots—solutions must be scalable and sustainable.
- Invest in collaboration. Agriculture today requires a multidisciplinary approach that combines engineering, biology, data science, economics, and empathy.
Finally, remember that agriculture and food are not just economic activities—they are about livelihoods, dignity, the environment, and health.
If you succeed in this space, you’ll be building a business and impacting lives at the most fundamental level.
Closing Thoughts: One truth stands out from this conversation with Dr. Sudhindra Tatti: real transformation in dairy begins with a relentless commitment to quality, sustainability, and farmer empowerment.
From advancing milk chilling at the grassroots with MilkoChill to pushing for a climate-smart, data-driven ecosystem, Dr. Tatti shows that technology can truly uplift lives when built with purpose.
At Dairy Dimension, we believe leaders like him are shaping a future where Indian dairy is not just the largest but also the most trusted in the world.
We are proud to share his vision—and inspired to champion the future it represents.
by Dr. Sudhindra Tatti, Building Trust, Transforming Dairy, and Championing Quality
