Dear Respected Member Brothers and Sisters,

April 4, 1992 is Kamal's Foundation Day — the day a sapling of a financial institution was planted in a cooperatively 'backward' region. Today, Kamal has grown into a mighty, shade-giving tree. Not only has Kamal grown in every dimension, but the institutions that have taken root under Kamal's shade have also begun to deepen their foundations. While running Kamal's initiatives regularly, the continuous bhajan vigil held every year on the occasion of Mahashivratri since 2017, the distribution of sabudana khichdi as prasad to devotees, the distribution of cold beverages to Ram devotees on Ram Navami, and Customer Day celebrated every November 11 — these too continue as regular events.

The year 2025–26 must be called a historically record-breaking year for business. This year, we crossed the ₹1,000 crore combined business milestone in a completely transparent manner. In this financial year, with record-breaking transactions, we completed a combined business of ₹245 crore. This year, we have purchased approximately 9 guntha of land in the heart of Alibag city, which will house our central office, a well-equipped branch, and related facilities. We expect all of this to be built within the next 3 years. And in doing all this, the institution's management has also approved a revised pay scale structure for its employees, offering an attractive package this year. All the above initiatives demonstrate our deep commitment to social responsibility — and alongside the ₹1,000 crore combined business, the substantial financial assistance provided to Pachhapur School in Sudhagad Pali Taluka of Raigad district, Vatsalya Trust in Alibag, Vitthal Mandir Alibag, Kakasaheb Chitale Blood Bank in Mahad, the primary school in Chinchwali-Hashivare in Alibag Taluka, and financial assistance to Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram — all have been appreciated and considered exemplary across various sections of society.

✣ Kamal's 33-Year Towering Journey ✣

On March 10, 2026, Kamal Patsanstha crossed the ₹1,000 crore combined business milestone, and I received personal congratulations as Chairman — and by extension, Kamal was congratulated — from many. Looking back at this ₹1,000 crore journey, when I traced the numbers, I realised that just as in a journey we cross one halt after another, this was simply one such milestone. Kamal's clean and transparent operations, the absence of any greed for numbers, the consistent awareness of social responsibility, a Board of Directors that acts in accordance with its principles, and a staff that matches them at every step — these are the hallmarks of this milestone!

✣ Kamal Has No Obsession with Numbers ✣

Even this ₹1,000 crore figure was not a planned target for Kamal. When I tried to understand the nuances of this progress, it became clear that our focus on qualitative progress over quantitative progress is the key secret. While smaller depositors and borrowers may have delayed reaching the ₹1,000 crore mark, we successfully increased the number of beneficiaries in an impactful way. Kamal's most successful Mahila Bachat Gat (Women's Self-Help Group) scheme, the Grihswamini scheme for needy women with minimal turnover at low interest rates, and the educational loan scheme implemented with a sense of social responsibility — all helped elevate Kamal to a distinct level. Although modest in terms of amounts, these schemes served the needs of thousands and contributed to national development.

✣ Women's Self-Help Group — A Unique Initiative ✣

Through the Women's Self-Help Group, we provided loans ranging from activity-based financing — for tailoring, home canteens, dried fish retail, vegetable and fruit selling — to consumption-based purposes. We offered a minimum of ₹10,000 to a maximum of ₹1 lakh per woman. To date, we have provided loans of more than ₹39 crore to approximately 10,800 women through their self-help groups. While handling 10,800 cases worth ₹39 crore may seem more cumbersome than handling 11 cases worth ₹1 crore each, the satisfaction on the faces of these 10,800 women far surpassed that of 11 individuals — it gave us the joy of extraordinary accomplishment. As a result, even though we may be lower in numbers, through our work for social upliftment we have been able to achieve qualitative progress — and this is something truly special.

✣ Customer Welfare as Priority ✣

While designing all these schemes, we think about what will make the customer comfortable. We implement various deposit schemes with sensitivity towards customers. Generally, interest rates on deposits are more or less the same across all financial institutions. The difference lies in customer service. We believe that the 'faces at Kamal's counter are Kamal's mirror.' In keeping with that, informing customers warmly and personally about deposit schemes and their interest rates — and at times visiting the customer's home to provide service — is the commitment 'Kamal' has pledged. And this commitment is not dependent on the deposit amount — that is what makes it special!

Even today I remember April 4, 1992 — share capital of ₹30,000, deposits of ₹30,000, and loan disbursement of ₹30,000, and every person associated with these. Kamal has designed its deposit and loan schemes by understanding the needs of its customers. For the common person, medium-term loans, mortgage loans, gold-backed loans, guarantee loans, vehicle-backed loans, and home loans were made available. For business persons, cottage industry loans, goods-pledge loans, business loans, and mortgage loans were offered. In recent times, many have benefited from the noteworthy solar energy system loan scheme. Furthermore, affordable interest rates are a special feature across all these products.

✣ Various Social Initiatives ✣

Kamal Patsanstha, which started in a 10×10 ft space in Chiraayu Apartments near Shriram Temple in Brahmin Ali, now operates grandly in Raigad district with a head office and 16 branches. Many dreams still remain, and efforts to realise them continue. The Goshala started in 2017 with 5 Gir cows now houses 105 Gir breed cattle. A separate trust has been established for this goshala, and it operates on self-owned land in Deul Bherase village, 8 km from Alibag. Another initiative is the Shri. Satish Vasudev Dharap Dialysis Center, established in Alibag through the Kamal Seva Sanstha Trust. We also publish 'Sahakaar Darshan,' a fortnightly magazine fully dedicated to the cooperative sector under the banner of 'Kamal.' More than 3,000 copies are distributed free of cost across cooperative institutions, reaching every taluka of Maharashtra. Only cooperative-related content is published in this fortnightly. Through all this, the organisational backbone — the core of this work — will not be overlooked. Towards this end, the Konkan Nagari Sahakari Patsanstha Federation, representing credit societies from all five Konkan districts, has grown under the chairmanship of our founding president Shri. Girish Tulpule.

Kamal's crossing of the ₹1,000 crore combined business milestone is being applauded far and wide. While accepting this appreciation, the milestones of Kamal's journey pass before my eyes — and with both joy and pride, I can say that I have been a witness to every turning point since April 4, 1992. I am justly proud of this, and I am grateful to all members, well-wishers, and the management for granting me this privilege.

✣ Acknowledgements ✣

Our sincere thanks to the Raigad District Deputy Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Hon. Tanvir Patil and his office, the Alibag Taluka Assistant Registrar Hon. Shri. Anil Pawar, and the Hon. Taluka Assistant Registrars and their offices at Mahad, Roha, Mangaon, Tala, Pen, Khalapur, Karjat, and Panvel for their cooperation.

Thanks — even if they might not prefer to be thanked — to the Institution's Government Auditor Shri. Rajan Kalsekhar (Chartered Accountant) and his colleagues, Tax Advisor Hon. Mukund Vaishampayan, Hon. Atul Shetye, and our friend Shri. Ganeshji Nimkar for their ongoing support. Likewise, thanks to the Chairman of Raigad District Cooperative Bank, Hon. Shri. Bhai Jayant Patil, the Bank's Chief Executive Officer Shri. Mandar Vartak and all their branch offices, as well as the branch managers and employees of all banks associated with the institution's business. Finally, thanks to the many members who take a personal interest in the institution's daily affairs, to all of you who actively participate in deposits and loans, and to all the members of Kamal's Board of Directors.