Shri Kiran Thakur is the Founder Chairman of Lokmanya Multipurpose Co-Op Society Ltd. & Advisory Editor, “Daily Tarun Bharat”, Belgaum. He was born in Belgaum on 7th April 1952. He has obtained Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree from Dharwad, Karnataka. He then enrolled himself in Dr. Rajendra Prasad College of Mass communications, Mumbai to pursue Diploma. He started his career as a Sports Reporter in 1968 with Daily Tarun Bharat which was started by his father late Shri Baburao Thakur. After demise of his father, he took over as the Editor of Daily Tarun Bharat in 1979.

Shri Kiran Thakur joined Tarun Bharat, a Marathi Daily Newspaper to strengthen the hands of his late father Shri Baburao Thakur and expanded the said paper publishing from various places of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa which has Eight Editions.

In 1995 he then established “Lokmanya Co-Operative Credit Society Ltd. Belgaum” The motto of starting Co-op Society was to provide financial assistance and support small business owners and entrepreneur & co-operative. In the year 2002 Lokmanya Society got registered as Multi State Co-op Society with Central Registrar of Co-op Societies, New Delhi under Multi State Co-op Societies Act 2002. In the year 2007 Lokmanya Multi State Co-operative Society became first Multi State Multi-Purpose Co-op Society in India. As Belgaum is influenced by growth of Co-operative movement in Mumbai-Karnataka Region, various prominent leaders working in Co – operative movement namely Shakar Maharshi Shri Vitthal Rao Vikhe Patil, Shri Vasantdada Patil, Shri Sharad Pawar, Shri Tatyasaheb Kore, Shri Rajarambapu Patil, Adv.Ramakant Khalap, Shri Pratapsingh Rane Shri Arujnrao Ghorpade and Shri Rambhau Potdar, inspired Shri Kiran Thakur to take plunge in Co-oper- ative movemnet which further paved the way to start Lokmanya Multipurpose Co-op Society Ltd.

Shri Kiran Thakur has a strong presence in the field of education with memberships to many Governing Councils of various educational institutions. At present he is the Chairman, Governing Council South Konkan Education Society Belgaum, President Belgaum Jilha Prathamik Shikshan Samiti, Belgaum , President Dnyan Prabodhan Mandir School, Belgaum. This highlights his commitment to nurture the young generation and promoting education. As of now nearly 10,000 students are taking education in the above noted institutions.

As a Corporate Leader and as a social responsibility, he has setup Lok Kalp Foundation to help the people and uplift their economic status in the society. Lok Kalp has adopted villages across Karnataka-Goa border.