In Memoriam: Shri Rameshan Paleri

The International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) mourns the passing of Shri Rameshan Paleri, Chairman of the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS), who passed away today at the age of 66 after a period of illness.

We knew him, as much of the cooperative world did, through what he built. When Shri Paleri took charge of ULCCS in 1995, at just 35, it was a construction contract society rooted in Vadakara. What he leaves behind is one of the most respected worker cooperatives on earth, its reach extending from infrastructure into information technology, education, housing, and cultural life, all while remaining, by design, in the hands of its members. That growth was never accidental. It reflected a conviction he held throughout his life, that a cooperative could compete at the highest levels of enterprise without ever setting aside its purpose or its people.

Our own relationship with Shri Paleri and ULCCS carries a particular significance for this region. In 2019, under his leadership, ULCCS became the first primary cooperative from India to join ICA as a regular member, a milestone that strengthened the voice of primary cooperatives within our global movement. In 2023, we were proud to recognise that leadership further, presenting ULCCS with the inaugural ICA Asia-Pacific Cooperative Excellence Award for Enterprising Cooperative, in honour of its innovation, sustainable growth, and contribution to economic and social development across the region.

Those of us who engaged with him found a leader defined less by his many accolades than by his humility and his generosity toward the wider movement. He was a steady advocate for young cooperators, for workers’ dignity, and for the belief that cooperative enterprise should reach communities well beyond its own membership, a conviction reflected in his support for cultural initiatives such as Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Village.

Shri Rameshan Paleri’s legacy will continue to shape cooperative thinking across India, the Asia-Pacific, and beyond. On behalf of ICA-AP, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues, to the ULCCS Board and membership, and to the entire ULCCS family. We stand with you in this loss, and in gratitude for the extraordinary example he leaves behind.

May his soul rest in peace.