Get ready for some fantastic news from Kollam! NS Co-operative Hospital has just won the prestigious Cooperative Global Excellence Award from the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), the worldwide leader for co-op movements. This is a huge deal because it is not only the first cooperative society from India to win this award, but also the very first hospital cooperative anywhere in the world to be honored like this! The award was announced at the ICA's 17th General Assembly, which ended on November 28, 2025, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The hospital stood out among 57 tough nominations from 51 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Imagine that! Why did NS Co-operative Hospital get this glowing accolade? The ICA praised many shining points: the hospital’s smart and innovative projects, strong and steady growth, firm financial health, impactful social service programs, efforts to empower the economy, unique help to the cooperative movement, care for the environment, and creating more jobs for people. Hospital president P. Rajendran proudly accepted the award from ICA global president Ariel Guarco and Asia-Pacific regional head Chandrapal Singh. From a small beginning in 2006 with just 60 beds and 8 departments, NS Co-operative Hospital has blossomed into India’s largest cooperative hospital. Today, it has 500 beds and 39 departments buzzing with activity. The hospital uses cool and affordable tech like robotic surgeries, an AI-powered cath lab, ART lab, bike ambulances, and even paperless documentation. Every year, it treats over seven lakh patients – yes, that’s 700,000 individuals! Not just that, it is the third largest employer in Kerala's cooperative sector. From humble roots to this international honor, NS Co-operative Hospital is truly a shining gem in India’s healthcare and cooperative world!