In a notable recognition of India’s growing influence in the international cooperative movement, TK Kishore Kumar of Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS) has been inducted into the International Cooperative Alliance’s Working Group on Cooperative Cultural Heritage (WG-CCH).
The induction took place on June 30, 2025, during a landmark international workshop held at the historic Rochdale Pioneers Museum in the UK, the birthplace of the modern cooperative movement.
Kumar, who serves as Chief Project Coordinator of ULCCS and COO of UL CyberPark, becomes one of the few South Asian representatives on the WG-CCH. His inclusion is seen as a significant step towards enriching the group’s cultural perspectives and broadening its geographic representation. The workshop launched a week-long series of events celebrating both the Second United Nations International Year of Cooperatives and the 130th anniversary of the ICA.
Participants from across the world, including cooperative leaders, youth innovators, and cultural experts, engaged in discussions aimed at safeguarding and promoting Cooperative Cultural Heritage, a practice designated by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
The WG-CCH has identified three core goals: identifying and recognizing at least 25 global cooperative heritage sites, drafting international standards and certification mechanisms, and launching a worldwide awareness campaign on the cultural and developmental value of cooperatives.
The event also witnessed active participation from the International Cooperative Entrepreneurship Think Tank (ICETT), which focuses on boosting cooperative competitiveness and aligning sectoral innovation with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. ICETT promotes cross-border collaboration, entrepreneurship, and youth leadership within cooperative enterprises.
Kishor Kumar’s role in this global initiative highlights ULCCS’s broader contributions to cooperative development. As Asia’s largest labour cooperative and a Total Solution Provider in infrastructure and allied sectors, ULCCS has completed over 7,500 projects.
Its expertise spans construction, IT & ITeS, skilling, tourism, education, and agriculture. With a rich legacy and diversified growth, ULCCS has earned national and international acclaim for its inclusive and sustainable development model.
The week-long celebrations in Manchester and Rochdale concluded with thematic seminars, guided museum tours, and cooperative site visits, reaffirming the global message that cooperatives are not only engines of economic growth but vital stewards of cultural heritage and community resilience.
