Rameshan Paleri, Chairman of the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS), passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 66 while undergoing treatment for liver cancer at a private hospital in Coimbatore.
Paleri had served as the chairman of ULCCS since 1995, steering the century-old worker-owned cooperative through a remarkable phase of growth and diversification. Under his leadership, ULCCS evolved from a regional labour cooperative into one of Asia’s largest worker-owned cooperatives and a globally recognised model for cooperative enterprise.
He played a pivotal role in modernising the organisation by adopting advanced construction technologies, expanding infrastructure capabilities and promoting innovation while retaining the cooperative’s worker-centric values. ULCCS executed several landmark infrastructure projects, including the reconstruction of the Palarivattom Flyover and major stretches of National Highway 66.
During his tenure, ULCCS earned international recognition, including being identified by the UNDP as a model cooperative and becoming the only primary cooperative in India to secure membership in the International Co-operative Alliance. Paleri’s leadership leaves behind a lasting legacy in Kerala’s cooperative movement, infrastructure development and inclusive economic growth.
