Srinagar, Apr 26: Seven kilometres from Changla Pass, a winding mountain road climbs to Tsokar-like highland pastures in Tsoltak, a remote, windswept plateau in Ladakh perched at over 16,600 feet. Here, amid thin air and stark beauty, young entrepreneur Thenlay Nurboo tends to a herd of nearly 200 yaks — central animals not just to survival in this cold desert, but now, unexpectedly, to global culinary recognition.
Nurboo’s yak milk churpi, a traditional Himalayan cheese, has won a gold medal at the 4th edition of the Mundial do Queijo do Brasil 2026, placing Ladakh on the world cheese map for the first time.
“Yak churpi has never gone outside Ladakh before. This is the first time it has received such recognition,” Nurboo said.
He said that he had sent his product to the Brazil-based competition through the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
Produced at his farm, the soft churpi stood out among global entries judged for taste, texture and aroma. For Nurboo, the award is not just personal, but it signals the arrival of a deeply local food tradition onto an international stage.
“I am very thankful to the Department of Animal Husbandry for extending all possible support”, he said.
Churpi is known for its long shelf life and unique texture. In Ladakh, it is inseparable from the pastoral lifestyle, where yak milk — richer and more resilient than cow’s milk — is turned into butter, curd and cheese to sustain communities through long winters.
“For communities in remote areas, these products are not only a dietary staple but also a means of preserving milk for long winters,” said Dr Satnazin Rabgais, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Leh, pointing to the cultural and practical value of such foods.
He said, adding that the recognition is significant not just for Ladakh but for the wider cheese industry.
India, making its debut at the global event, won four medals in total, including a Super Gold for a Brie-style cheese from Mumbai-based Eleftheria. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as an “impressive debut” and said such achievements strengthen India’s artisanal dairy sector globally.
