The impulses of the freedom movement gave birth to many initiatives and institutions in the post-Independence era, all too eager to consolidate ireedom and build a new India. The Indian Cooperative Union(ICU)wasonesuchinstitution borninl948,led by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya. The ICU pioneered many self-help endeavours amongthelandlessagricultural workers andsmall farmers, raising of the Faridabad township by 50,000 refugee settlers from the North-West FrontierProvince, development of Central Cottage Industries Emporium for providing inter-state and export markets for artisans in handicrafts and handlooms, development of Super Bazaar-cooperative store in consumers interest. As at the grassroots level, the ICU was also in thefore front of advocacy of cooperative principles and policy to influence India’s approach towards people-led development sustained by democratic decentralization. The book here includes the ICU s well-researched treatise on Cooperative Principles and their relevance to India’s socioeconomic goals, Cooperative Farming, Rural Credit, Cooperative Law, Community Development and Development of Handicrafts Forty years ago, the ICU also foresaw the need tor voluntary organizations in India uniting together and helped to setup the Association. This bookr ecalls ICU’s contribution especially in the immediate post-independence period and highlights the enhanced relevance of cooperatives today.
