Sri S. R. Bommai | CoopPeople | CoopWiki

Life Period: June 6, 1924 – October 10, 2007
Region: Dharwad district / North Karnataka
Role: Chief Minister of Karnataka; legal patron of the Karnataka Souharda Sahakari Act.
Core Contributions: A profound legal mind who believed top-down government bureaucracy was choking citizen-owned collectives. The path-breaking report generated during his political tenure laid the core philosophy for the landmark Karnataka Souharda Sahakari Act of 1997. This parallel law allowed cooperatives to operate with total autonomy from direct state interference—enabling self-regulation, independent audits, and competitive corporate growth.
Legal Reference: The complete legal document and its foundational philosophy can be found in the official Karnataka Souharda Sahakari Act Text.