On January 15, 2025, the Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM), Pune, celebrated its 58th Foundation Day with grandeur at its campus. The event was graced by prominent personalities, including Dr. Premnath Venugopalan, Head of Venture Centre and Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-NCL, Pune, as the Chief Guest, along with Mr. Rajendra Jog, Country Director of Syngenta Foundation India, and Mr. Bhushan Muthiyan, CEO of Automaton.
Coinciding with the International Cooperative Year 2025, VAMNICOM announced a groundbreaking collaboration with the Syngenta Foundation to launch the “Bharat-Banker” program. This initiative aims to train rural youth with skills required for the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector, thereby bolstering India’s rural banking infrastructure. The Syngenta Foundation has expressed its intent to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with VAMNICOM to further contribute to India’s cooperative credit sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rajendra Jog emphasized Syngenta Foundation’s commitment to enhancing skill development in agriculture and rural finance. He highlighted their ongoing efforts in education, research, and community outreach, underscoring the significance of partnerships like this in empowering rural India.
Dr. Premnath Venugopalan spotlighted a pivotal collaboration between VAMNICOM and Automaton, aimed at introducing a curriculum focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for agribusiness applications. This initiative aligns with the Ministry of Cooperation’s key goals, including the computerization of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and transforming them into Common Service Centers.
The course will equip students with a strong foundation in AI and ML, enabling them to support farmers in making data-driven decisions. These technologies will help optimize resources, boost productivity, and address critical challenges like climate change and food security. An AI Lab is also planned to facilitate advanced research in areas such as weather pattern analysis, soil quality assessment, and crop yield prediction.
Dr. Hema Yadav, Director of VAMNICOM, welcomed the guests and provided an overview of the institute’s journey and achievements. She reaffirmed VAMNICOM’s commitment to serving as a nerve center for agriculture, cooperative, and rural development. Dr. Yadav also announced the inclusion of AI as a key subject in the PGDM-ABM curriculum, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision of positioning India as a global knowledge leader (Vishwa Guru).
She lauded the efforts of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) at VAMNICOM for its contributions to strengthening the cooperative ecosystem. The CED has played a crucial role in bolstering Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and supporting startups through incubation and skill development initiatives.
The Foundation Day celebration saw discussions on innovations and solutions to challenges faced by the cooperative sector in India. Guests also highlighted the role of education and technology in enhancing the sector’s capacity.
The event concluded with participation from VAMNICOM faculty, staff, PGDM-ABM students, and dignitaries from academia, industry, and government sectors. This milestone celebration reaffirmed VAMNICOM’s leadership in management education, research, and consultancy for cooperative and rural development.
Great initiative to skilled the youths with new and demanding technology to strengthen the role played by cooperative societies.