Bhubaneswar: In a landmark achievement for India’s cooperative movement, Jayashree Garnaik has been elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the National Federation of Fishers Cooperatives Limited (FISHCOPFED), becoming the first woman to hold the prestigious post in the apex national fisheries cooperative federation.
The election was conducted at FISHCOPFED’s registered headquarters at Sarita Vihar, New Delhi, under the provisions of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002. The election process was overseen by Returning Officer Dr. Sravan Bagaria. Garnaik secured a decisive mandate, receiving 9 of the 11 votes cast by the Board of Directors.
Her election is being hailed as a significant milestone for women’s leadership in the cooperative sector and is expected to further strengthen inclusive governance in India’s fisheries cooperative movement.
Speaking after her election, Garnaik outlined her vision for FISHCOPFED, emphasizing three key priorities—strengthening the financial ecosystem for primary fishery cooperative societies through improved access to institutional credit, insurance coverage and digital banking services; ensuring effective grassroots implementation of national fisheries and cooperative schemes to benefit traditional fishing communities; and promoting greater participation of women in leadership and decision-making roles across cooperative institutions.
An MBA in Finance, Garnaik brings more than two decades of experience in cooperative governance, financial management and institutional administration. Her leadership spans multiple tiers of the cooperative structure, from primary societies to district, state and national-level organizations.
Garnaik’s election is widely regarded as a progressive step towards strengthening gender-inclusive leadership in India’s cooperative sector and is expected to provide renewed momentum to the growth of fisheries cooperatives and the socio-economic empowerment of traditional fishing communities nationwide.
