The International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) has featured the Mulkanoor Cooperative Rural Credit and Marketing Society in Telangana as the first case study under its #BridgeBuilders campaign for CoopsDay 2026, showcasing the cooperative as a model of trust, collective ownership and peaceful rural development.
Founded in 1956 by cooperative leader A.K. Vishwanatha Reddy with 373 farmers and a share capital of Rs 2,300, Mulkanoor has grown into one of India’s most successful rural cooperatives. Today, it has over 7,500 members, an annual business turnover of more than Rs 400 crore and a zero non-performing asset (NPA) record.
Beyond providing rural credit, the cooperative has developed an integrated agricultural ecosystem through seed processing, rice milling, storage, branding and direct marketing. It also shares its surplus with members through crop bonuses, scholarships, pensions and healthcare support, ensuring that the benefits of value addition remain within the community.
Highlighting Mulkanoor as a “Bridge Builder”, ICA-AP said the cooperative exemplifies how shared ownership, transparency and community participation can foster sustainable rural development and advance this year’s International Day of Cooperatives theme, “Cooperatives Build a Better World.”
