**Summary:**
In response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4239, addressed to the Minister of Cooperation on August 19, 2025, the Ministry confirms Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das's significant role as a founder promoter of the cooperative movement in Odisha. He established "The Cuttack Cooperative Store" on June 11, 1898, recognized as the first multifaceted cooperative enterprise in India, and the "Utkal Tannery," an export-oriented venture operating on cooperative principles. Inspired by his work, Agriculture Credit Cooperative Societies were subsequently established in the Banki region (Charchika, Suvarnap, and Barput). While the central government encourages states to propose colleges for affiliation with the newly established Tribhuvan Sahkari University (TSU), it has chosen to honor Madhusudan Das's legacy by renaming the Institute of Cooperative Management, a unit of the National Council for Cooperative Training (NCCT) under the Ministry of Cooperation, as the Madhusudan Institute of Cooperative Management. The NCCT has 20 units and is promoted by the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Cooperation: The Indian governmental ministry responsible for cooperatives.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das: A famous intellectual leader of Odisha, considered a pioneer of the cooperative movement in the state.
Odisha: A state in eastern India.
Cuttack: A city in Odisha, India, and the workplace of Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das.
Amit Shah: The Minister of Cooperation in the Government of India.
The Cuttack Cooperative Store: The first multifaceted cooperative enterprise in India, organized by Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das.
Tribhuvan Sahkari University: A university to which the Central Government has requested State Governments to propose affiliated colleges/institutes.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COOPERATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4239
TO BE ANSWERED ON 19TH AUGUST, 2025
Cooperative College in the Name of Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das
4239. Shri Rudra Narayan Pany:
Will the Minister of COOPERATION (सहकारिता मंत्री) be please to state:
(a) whether the famous intellectual Leader of Odisha, Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das was the
founder promoter of co-operative movement in the State;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) whether the Government proposes to set up a Co-operative College in his memory at his
workplace in Cuttack, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION
सहकारिता मंत्री (SHRI AMIT SHAH)
(a) & (b): Yes, Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das is acclaimed as the pioneering torch bearer of
the co-operative movement. As a trend setter and harbinger of the movement, he organised the
first multifaceted cooperative enterprise of the country, "The Cuttack Cooperative Store" on
11th June, 1898. He had also established the export oriented giant venture "Utkal Tannery"
which was running on Co-operative lines. By drawing inspiration from Sri Madhusudan Das,
Agriculture Credit Cooperative Societies were set up at Charchika, Suvarnap and Barput of
Banki region.
(c): With the establishment of “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University (TSU), Central Government
has requested the State Governments to propose colleges/institutes in their state to be affiliated
to the TSU. In recognition of the significant contribution of "Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das",
pioneer of Cooperative Movement of Odisha, the Institute of Cooperative Management, one
of the 20 Units of National Council for Cooperative Training (NCCT), New Delhi which has
been promoted by Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India was renamed as Madhusudan
Institute of Cooperative Management.
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