Ami Chandra

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Pandit Ami Chandra Vidyalankar (1900 - 1954) came to Fiji, from India in 1927 at the behest of the Arya Samaj, which wanted to improve the education standard of Fiji Indian students and promote Arya Samaj in Fiji. He led a busy life in Fiji, being an educationist, Arya Samaj preacher, labour leader, football administrator, scout leader and marriage officer. He furthered the cause of Hindi in Fiji by compiling a series of text books used to teach Hindi in primary schools. He served as a member of the Legislative Council of Fiji and was loved and respected by all communities in Fiji.^[1]

[edit] Contribution to Education in Fiji

Night school organised by Ami Chandra in 1951 at the site of the present Arya Kanya Pathshala in Yalalevu, Ba, Fiji. Ami Chandra is seated in the first row, fifth from the left.

See also: Arya Samaj in Fiji

Chandra, a graduate of Gurukul, Kangri in India, arrived in Fiji on 22 December 1927 and was enthusiastically welcomed by the Fiji Indian community at the Suva Town Hall. After a brief sojourn at Suva, he started teaching at the Gurukul Primary School in Saweni, Lautoka. In 1928 he became the Principal and under his leadership, boarding facilities were established at the school with 45 boarders out of a total population of 140, including 25 native Fijian students. During his time as Principal, the school made remarkable progress and he was commended by the Governor, Sir Murchison Fletcher. In 1930 he went to Suva where he was instrumental in the establishment of Arya Samaj Girls School at Samabula. Later, he went to Ba, establishing another school, Arya Kanya Pathshala (Arya Girls School). In 1950, he opened a post primary class for youth using volunteer professionals from a cross section of society in Ba. This became the forerunner of the Dayanand Ango Vedic College of Ba in 1952.

While in Ba Chandra was also recruited by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) to teach company employees and overseers to speak proper Hindi and understand Indian culture. His greatest contribution was the series of books, Hindi Ki Pothi (Hindi Readers), that he published to enable Indian students to learn Hindi easily. These readers were compiled for students of different levels in primary schools and were used in Fiji for over twenty years.

[edit] Union leader

See also: Fiji Trades Union Congress

He was the founder of the Fiji Teachers Union in 1929 and its first President.^[2] He was mentor of many of the early trade unionists and was the inspiration behind the formation of the Chini Mazdur Sangh (now known as the Sugar General Workers Union) and the Gold Mine Workers Union of Vatukoula. ^[3] He was seen as a person who could be trusted by all sections of the Indian community, for when the Kisan Sangh split into two factions in 1943, both sides agreed to have the union’s books audited by him. ^[4] He was the president of the Fiji Industrial Workers Congress (now the Fiji Trades Union Congress), an umbrella organisation representing all but one of the unions in Fiji. He promoted multi-racial trade unions and opposed the participation of any trade union in politics. ^[5]

[edit] Founder of Ba Football Association

See also: Ba Indian Football Association

In 1935, with support from CSR, he formed the Ba Indian Football Association with a local league which grew to four teams by 1940.^[6]

[edit] Member of Legislative Council

See also: Indian members of Legislative Council of Fiji

He was also a nominated member of the Legislative Council, from 1947 to 1950 and worked closely with Vishnu Deo.

[edit] His legacy

Ami Chandra and wife, Deviji who was also a teacher

On 28 August 1956, during the Arya Samaj Golden Jubilee celebrations, he was posthumously awarded with the Dayanand Medal for Meritorious Service.

In 1957, the people of Tawakubu, Lautoka honoured him by establishing a primary school, which in his honour was named, the Ami Chandra Memorial School.

He was a man of great scholarship and humility and when he died in a plane crash in Singapore, on 13 March 1954, on his way to England as the guest of the British Trades Union Congress^[7], Fiji Indians suffered a great loss as he was also being touted as a future successor to Vishnu Deo. Reporting his death, the Fiji Times stated that, "He was a good citizen, wise in counsel, wide in sympathy, lofty in ideals and one who gave himself to the service of his fellow men."^[8]

Chandra was married to Sarvati Deviji and had four daughters; Saroj, Jyan, Pushpa and Om. ^[9]

[edit] References

1. ^ Kanwal, Jogindar Singh (1980). A hundred years of Hindi in Fiji. Suva, Fiji: Fiji Teachers Union, p.79. 
2. ^ Sharma, Guru Dayal (1987). Memories of Fiji: 1887 - 1987. Guru Dayal Sharma, Suva, Fiji, p. 182. 
3. ^ Sir Vijay R. Singh, Speaking Out, Knightsbrook Publications, 2006, ISBN 0-97775166-0-1
4. ^ A.P. Sharma, A History of Fiji Kisan Sangh, Vicas Press, Lautoka, Fiji, 2005
5. ^ Industrial associations and local politics.
6. ^ M. Prasad, Sixty Years of Soccer in Fiji 1938 – 1998: The Official History of Fiji Football Association, Fiji Football Association, Suva, 1998
7. ^ Sir Vijay R. Singh, Speaking Out, Knightsbrook Publications, 2006, ISBN 0-97775166-0-1
8. ^ "Death of Ami Chandra", Fiji Times, March 26, 1954. 
9. ^ “Pandit Ami Chandra Family”, Arya Samaj Centenary Volume (1904 - 2004): p. 59, 2004 

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Ami Chandra