Amul, Indian Coffee House, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO), Kerala Dinesh Beedi: these are brands from diverse sectors with one uniting factor — they are all cooperatives. These and many others will be showcased at the almost-ready 14-storey International Cooperative Museum (ICM) in the heart of Kozhikode, Kerala. It will be a destination to learn about India’s cooperative movement that has a history of more than a century.
A ₹150 crore project of Karassery Service Co-operative Bank that began operations in 1994, the museum will be the second of its kind in the world (the first is in Toad Lane, U.K., set up in 1844). There are more than 8 lakh cooperatives in India today, with a collective membership of 29 crore. Maharashtra has the maximum number of cooperative societies, at 2.3 lakh, with 5 crore members. The museum will showcase the success and achievements of cooperative movements in India, especially Kerala. The building will also house a wax museum and an art gallery.
The ICM is the brainchild of N.K. Abdurahiman, the chairperson of Karassery bank. The initial work for the project began in 2016. The construction is being carried out by Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society, another giant in Kerala’s cooperative sector.
The initial plan was to complete the work in five years, but COVID-19 played spoilsport. With the change in technology over the last eight years, plans changed too. “We are planning to incorporate the latest technology, including artificial intelligence and virtual reality for the displays,” said Mubasheer Ali Tahir, director (IT and Infrastructure) of Karassery bank, who is in charge of the work.
Meanwhile, the bank has approached the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the International Cooperative Alliance for support to make the project even bigger. “We have already contacted cooperatives in some countries in Europe and Japan for information and display materials,” said Mr. Mubashir.
With its opening in less than six months, the ICM is expected to be a major tourist attraction in Kozhikode. “Our aim is to make the museum a great learning experience for people, especially students and researchers. We hope to do this with the support of experts and research scholars in the field,” Mr. Abdurahiman said.
