A State-Level Cooperative Seminar for College Girls was organised by the Gujarat State Cooperative Union (GSCU), Ahmedabad, on January 19, 2026, at Tagore Hall, Paldi, with the objective of connecting young women with the cooperative sector and encouraging their active participation in cooperative activities.
The seminar was organised in the context of the United Nations–declared International Year of Cooperatives 2025 and focused on the theme, “The Cooperative Sector Is the Best Medium for Making India Self-Reliant.”
Around 1,000 college girl students from 69 colleges across various districts of Gujarat participated in the seminar. Most of the participants were from second- and third-year undergraduate programmes. The students were introduced to the fundamentals of the cooperative sector, its social and economic significance, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, and the scope for educated youth to become job creators by forming cooperative institutions. Special emphasis was placed on women’s empowerment and achieving self-reliance through active engagement with cooperatives.
The seminar was held under the chairmanship of Ghanshyam Amin, Chairman of the Gujarat State Cooperative Union and a senior national cooperative leader. While highlighting the increasing relevance of cooperatives at the global and national levels, it was noted that the declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives reflects the growing recognition of cooperatives as instruments of inclusive and sustainable development. Reference was also made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Prosperity through Cooperation,” which has given renewed momentum to the cooperative movement in India.
The programme began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Inaugurating the seminar, Dr. Parul Patel, Vice Chancellor of Parul University, Vadodara, congratulated the Gujarat State Cooperative Union for organising the event. She explained the true meaning of cooperation and how cooperative activities contribute to improving the quality of life.
Sharing examples of cooperative initiatives at her university, she said the cooperative sector offers vast opportunities and requires in-depth understanding. She emphasised that women should strive not only for education, but also for value-based growth and meaningful contribution to society.
Addressing the students, Ghanshyam Amin underlined the importance of education and awareness about the cooperative sector, particularly for young women. He highlighted how cooperatives function as effective platforms for social equality, democratic participation, and economic empowerment.
Citing successful cooperative models such as Amul Dairy and Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, he demonstrated how cooperatives promote women’s leadership, collective ownership, livelihood generation, and inclusive growth. He encouraged students to associate actively with the cooperative movement and become job creators rather than job seekers, contributing to the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.
On the occasion, the booklet “Sahakar Garima” was formally released. The chief guest, renowned industrialist and Padma Shri awardee Savji Dholakia, motivated students to move ahead with big goals and strong determination. He advised them to keep their minds open, learn continuously, and apply cooperative values in their personal and professional lives. Emphasising dedication, honesty, service, and charity, he shared personal life experiences and encouraged students to set clear goals at a young age and work relentlessly to achieve them.
Motivational speaker Sanjay Raval guided students on identifying their inner strengths, achieving success through discipline, and using social media responsibly. He stressed that the true success of the seminar would lie in students joining the cooperative sector and building meaningful careers. Rajendra Trivedi, Executive Officer of the Gujarat State Cooperative Union, welcomed the dignitaries and presented the outline of the programme.
Speakers including Sandhya Kapoor, Finance Director of NCUI, Dr. Hiral Chaudhary from Banas Dairy, and Deepshikha Thakur from GSCU highlighted prosperity through cooperation, dairy-led economic development, and emerging employment opportunities in the cooperative sector. The programme was anchored by Jay Thakkar, while the vote of thanks was delivered by C. J. Dave. The event concluded with appreciation for the dedicated efforts of the GSCU staff.
