The Gujarat State Co-operative Union organized the Young Women Co-operative Seminar – 2025 on January 25, 2025, at Dinesh Hall, Ahmedabad. The event aimed to encourage active participation of young women in the co-operative sector and aligned with the International Year of Co-operatives – 2025 and National Youth Day.
Over 1,000 female college students from various parts of Gujarat attended the seminar, which revolved around the theme of youth involvement in the co-operative movement.
Dr. Parulben Patel, Vice President of Parul University, inaugurated the seminar with an inspiring address, urging young women to embrace the power of education as a tool to generate new ideas not only for employment but also for entrepreneurship. She emphasized the importance of continuous learning and self-belief, encouraging participants to adopt the mantra, “Everything is possible for me.”
In his presidential address, Ghanshyambhai H. Amin, Chairman of the Gujarat State Co-operative Union, spoke about the significant role of co-operatives in economic development. Highlighting their global and national impact, he noted that co-operatives operate in 118 countries with 70 crore members worldwide. In India, over 8 lakh co-operative societies engage 35 crore members, while Gujarat alone has 89,000 societies benefiting 1.4 crore people.
Amin explained how co-operatives have historically provided a robust economic platform for the poor and middle class, countering exploitative practices by moneylenders. By offering affordable loans through co-operative banks and quality agricultural inputs via village-level co-operative societies, farmers have been able to achieve significant economic benefits.
Amin further pointed out that co-operatives transcend barriers of caste, creed, class, or religion, emphasizing their inclusivity and service-oriented nature. He highlighted the government’s recognition of the co-operative sector’s importance, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan, “Prosperity through Co-operation.”
He noted that co-operatives like AMUL, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, and Bardoli Sugar not only survived but thrived during the global recession from 2008 to 2010. He also underscored the global acknowledgment of co-operatives, as evidenced by the United Nations declaring 2025 the International Year of Co-operatives.
Reflecting on the resilience of the co-operative model, he encouraged young women to form co-operative societies themselves, enabling them to generate employment and empower others.
The seminar featured several expert speakers who enriched the discussions. Rakshaben Chaudhary from Banas Dairy spoke about women’s economic development in the dairy sector, while Ruzan Khambatta of Wajra O’ Force Empowerment Foundation addressed digital and cyber security for women.
Sandhya Kapoor, Director (Finance) at NCUI, elaborated on the theme “Co-operatives Build a Better World,” and motivational speaker Sanjay Rawal inspired the young women with his address.
A booklet titled “Sahakare Shakti,” focusing on youth participation in co-operative development, was also released during the event.
The seminar concluded with a vote of thanks from C.J. Dave, Information Officer at GSCU, while Alpeshbhai Rawal, Principal of the Mehsana Centre, anchored the program.
It was an engaging and insightful event that inspired the participants to actively contribute to the co-operative movement and drive both personal and national growth.
