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C. R. Ramaswamy

Last Updated: 30/6/2026Category: Tamil Nadu
C. R. Ramaswamy
  • Tenure/Life Period: Circa 1905 – 1982
  • Association and Role within Society or Entity: President of the Madras Urban Co-operative Banks Association; Long-serving Legislative Assembly Member (MLA).
  • Contributions to the Cooperative Sector: Operating primarily in the Chennai district, Ramaswamy spent decades shaping the legislative, legal, and regulatory framework of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) across Tamil Nadu. He worked closely with state planners to ensure that the unique democratic structure of small urban thrift and credit societies was protected during the drafting of successive state cooperative laws. He introduced standardized double-entry modern ledger-keeping practices, internal auditing committees, and strict cash reserve ratios across municipal credit societies. This proved that citizen-owned, neighborhood-managed banks could maintain high financial stability and low non-performing assets (NPAs) without requiring corporate banking backstops.
  • Awards and Recognitions: Honored with the National Cooperative Leadership Merit Award from the National Co-operative Union of India (NCUI) in 1974 for his contributions to urban banking regulations.