Nepal: Indian educated Malla joins ICA Board

Nepal’s Parliamentarian and Vice-Chairperson of National Cooperative Federation (NCF) of Nepal Om Devi Malla has annexed a seat on the board of International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). It is a turn up for the books.

Om Devi got 401 out of total 697 votes in the election of International Cooperative Alliance held during its General Assembly in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia last week. She is the first female cooperator of Nepal to have taken a diploma in cooperative education and management from India.

There were 23 votes altogether from Nepal including 8 votes from National Cooperative Federation of Nepal, 8 votes from National Cooperative Bank, 4 votes from Nepal Agriculture Cooperative Federation and 3 votes from Nepal Multi Purpose Central Cooperative Federation.

Nepal has been elected to the international cooperative board for the first time in the cooperative history of Nepal. Malla has done her graduation from Tribhuvan University in Sociology.

Besides Malla, Keshab Prasad Badal President of National Cooperative Federation of Nepal, President of central agriculture cooperative association, Manager of National Cooperative Bank and other delegates from Nepal had participated in the ICA Global Conference, a source.

As soon as her name was announced for the ICA board, congratulatory messages began pouring in from her fans on social media. “Big Congratulations to Ms. Malla, dynamic personality of Cooperative Movement of Nepal. It is a great achievement of Nepalese Cooperative Movement. Congratulations to all Cooperators. Cheers”, wrote Chitra Thansuhang one of her colleagues.

Another wrote “Congratulations Om Devi Madam. Wish you successful and fruitful tenure. Believed your bold presentation there by Nepal”.

“Congratulations a lot for being elected in the prestigious position as a first lady from the Asia Pacific Region. We wish you all the best for the very successful tenure of office”, said one of her followers.

IFFCO candidate Aditya Yadav also created history by getting the highest number of votes in the same election. He polled 627 out of total votes of 696.

Malla has been working in the cooperative sector since 1998 mostly focusing on the field of leadership development and cooperative activities. She is a renowned cooperative leader in Nepal.