NS Co-operative Hospital, Kollam, has won the Cooperative Global Excellence Award from the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), the global body for cooperative movements.
N.S. Hospital is the first cooperative society in India to receive the global excellence award and it was selected from 57 nominations from 51 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The award was announced at the 17th General Assembly, which concluded on Friday (November 28, 2025), in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This is also the first time worldwide that the Global Excellence Award has been presented to a hospital cooperative.
The award recognised the hospital’s superior performance across several key criteria, including the successful completion of innovative projects, strong and sustainable growth, financial security, effective social service programmes, promotion of economic empowerment, unique contributions to the cooperative movement, fulfilment of environmental responsibility, and the assurance of increased employment opportunities. Hospital president P. Rajendran accepted the award from ICA global president Ariel Guarco and Asia-Pacific regional president Chandrapal Singh.
The hospital, which began in 2006 with only 60 beds and 8 departments, has today grown into the largest cooperative hospital in the country with 500 beds and 39 departments. The facility integrates cutting-edge, low-cost technologies—including robotic surgery, an artificial intelligence-equipped cath lab, ART lab, bike ambulance and paperless documentation—to serve over seven lakh patients annually. Currently the hospital is the third largest employer in the State’s cooperative sector.
Published – November 28, 2025 05:05 pm IST
