Indian Association of Fiji

Indian Association of Fiji has been the name used by organisations formed at different times in the history of Fiji, to unite different groups within the Fiji Indian community to work to improve the plight of Indians in Fiji.

The Association was initially formed in 1920 by N. B. Mitter, who was the headmaster of a school in Nadi. The Association organised labourers from the Western Division, which included Ba, Nadi, Lautoka and Nadroga. The Association did not have any influence on the 1921 strike which affected the western districts of Fiji as it was led by a recently arrived missionary from India, Vashist Muni.

The early 1920s were dark days for the Fiji Indians with the failure of the 1920 and 1921 strikes and large numbers of ex-indentured labourers waiting for ships to be repatriated back to India. In the early 1920s Ram Singh tried to revive the defunct Indian Imperial Association as the Indian Association of Fiji but having representatives from all sections of the Indian community, with Ilahi Ramjan (a Muslim) as President, Ram Singh (a Hindu) as Secretary and Deoki (a Christian) and Ram Samujh (a Hindu) as vice-presidents. It made representations to the Secretary of State for the Colonies about residential tax and other issues, but the Government regarded it as representing only the urban educated Indians and refused to recognise it.

On 9 December 1934, the Indian Association was reformed, this time time as a successor to the controversial Fiji Indian National Congress (formed in 1929), to safeguard and further the political rights of the Indian community in Fiji. Its president was A. D. Patel and Vishnu Deo was its secretary. The Association made representations to England and India opposing the proposal for a purely nominated system of choosing members to the Legislative Council. In 1935, the Association protested to restrictions to Indian immigration to Fiji. In 1936, Charles Freer Andrews made his third visit to Fiji on the invitation of the Association.

The Association was revived in 1946, but this time it concentrated on education. It started two schools: Deenbandhu Primary School and Indian High School (now known as Indian College), both located in Samabula, Suva.

At the 26th Annual General Meeting of the Association, held at Indian High School, J. F. Grant retired as President and was replaced by Hari Charan. ["Fiji Times", 5 July 1955 ]

References

Bibliography

*cite book
last = Gillion
first = K. L.
title = The Fiji Indians: Challenge to European Dominance 1920-1946
publisher =Australian National University Press, Canberra
date = 1977
pages = pp. 51, 104, 117, 152, 155
id = ISBN 0-7081-1291-9
*cite book
last = Sharma
first = Guru Dayal
title = Memories of Fiji: 1887 - 1987
publisher =Guru Dayal Sharma, Suva, Fiji
date = 1987
pages = pp. 75-76
id =