Rajasthan minister’s milk theory: Cows make scholars, buffaloes make idlers?

Rajasthan education minister Madan Dilawar has offered a fresh contribution to public policy debate: drink cow’s milk, raise a genius; drink buffalo milk, raise a nap enthusiast.

Speaking at a ‘Go-Samvardhan and Gocharan’ (cow conservation and grazing) event in Ramganj Mandi, Dilawar declared that “a person who drinks the milk of a high-shouldered indigenous cow becomes intelligent, whereas those who drink buffalo milk tend to be sluggish”.

That’s right. Years of neuroscience, child development research and education reform apparently boil down to your dairy aisle choices.

To prove his point, Dilawar proposed a field experiment: line up cows and buffaloes with their calves on opposite sides. Release the calves from a distance. The cow’s calf, he claimed, would sprint straight to its mother. The buffalo’s calf? Allegedly confused.

In a second test, he suggested feeding both calves milk and watching the results. The buffalo calf, he said, would cough and doze off. The cow’s calf would spring about with tail held high, radiating “sharp intelligence”.

In case the zoology wasn’t persuasive enough, the minister added a linguistic flourish: a cow’s calf graduates in name as it grows — bachada, keda, naykiya, bull — while a buffalo’s calf, he said, remains a humble pada throughout life. Conclusion: cow milk equals progress; buffalo milk equals stagnation.

It’s the sort of reasoning that would make a high-school science teacher quietly reach for the attendance register and take a long pause.

Let’s inject some actual nutrition into this debate.

Both cow and buffalo milk are rich in:

• Protein (essential for growth and muscle development)

• Calcium (critical for bone health)

• Vitamin B12 (important for nerve function and red blood cell production)

• Phosphorus and potassium (key minerals for metabolism and heart health)

Buffalo milk typically contains:

• Higher fat content (around 6–8% vs 3–4% in cow milk)

• More calories per glass

• Slightly higher protein and calcium levels

Cow milk, on the other hand:

• Is generally lighter and easier to digest for some people

• Has lower fat (depending on breed and processing)

• Contains similar core micronutrients

In other words, buffalo milk is not a tranquilliser in liquid form, nor is cow milk a guaranteed IQ booster

Child development depends on a wide spectrum of factors — balanced nutrition, stimulation, schooling quality, parental engagement, sleep, genetics and public health. No credible scientific study suggests that choosing one dairy source over another determines whether a child will be “scholarly” or “sluggish”.

If anything, adequate overall nutrition — including protein and micronutrients — supports cognitive development. Both types of milk can contribute to that.

Beyond the dairy metaphors, Dilawar announced a revival of a traditional village cowherd system in 14 villages. One “gauwala” will be appointed for every 70 cows, earning Rs 10,000 per month, supported by village donors. That’s a tangible administrative measure. The milk-intelligence theory? Less so.

The event was attended by Ramdayal Maharaj of the Shri Ramsnehi sect, reflecting the cultural and religious dimensions woven into cow-related discourse which India has now normalised.

There’s nothing wrong with promoting indigenous breeds, supporting rural livelihoods or encouraging better nutrition. But when an education minister links academic brilliance to bovine preference, it blurs the line between cultural reverence and empirical evidence.

If raising “intelligent and playful” children were as simple as switching milk suppliers, every competitive exam coaching centre would double as a dairy.

Good nutrition matters. Evidence matters more. And children’s futures deserve better than barnyard science.

With PTI inputs