Ami Chandra
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
in 1929 and its first President. He was mentor of many of the early trade union
ists 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. 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. 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.
Indian Football Association with a local league which grew to four teams by 1940.
.
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
, 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."
Chandra was married to Sarvati Deviji and had four daughters; Saroj, Jyan, Pushpa and Om.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, 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
Legislative Council (Fiji)
The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.-The first Legislative Council:...
and was loved and respected by all communities in Fiji.
Contribution to Education 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 SuvaSuva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
Town Hall. After a brief sojourn at Suva, he started teaching at the Gurukul Primary School
Gurkul Primary School (Fiji)
Gurkul Primary School was the first substantive school for Fiji Indians established in Fiji in 1918. Its establishment, coincided with the formation of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji, the Arya Samaj organisation that manages the school...
in Saweni, Lautoka
Lautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...
. 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
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
students. During his time as Principal, the school made remarkable progress and he was commended by the Governor
Governor of Fiji
Fiji was a British Crown Colony from 1874 to 1970, and an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth from 1970 to 1987. During this period, the Head of State was the British Monarch, but in practice his or her functions were normally exercised locally by the Governor prior to independence ,...
, 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
Ba District, Fiji
Ba is a district situation on the North Western part of the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. The name Ba is also used for a province, a tikina , a town and a river. Ba district comprises the areas surrounding Ba Town and includes the Fijian administrative tikinas of Ba and Magodro. Ba district is in...
, 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
Ba District, Fiji
Ba is a district situation on the North Western part of the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. The name Ba is also used for a province, a tikina , a town and a river. Ba district comprises the areas surrounding Ba Town and includes the Fijian administrative tikinas of Ba and Magodro. Ba district is in...
Chandra was also recruited by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company
Colonial Sugar Refining Company (Fiji)
The Colonial Sugar Refining Company began operations in Fiji in 1880 and until it ceased operations in 1973, had a considerable influence on the political and economic life of Fiji. Prior to its expansion to Fiji, the CSR was operating Sugar Refineries in Melbourne and Auckland...
(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.
Union leader
He was the founder of the Fiji Teachers UnionFiji Teachers Union
Fiji Teachers Union is a union representing elementary and secondary education teachers in Fiji. It is a member of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, and Education International....
in 1929 and its first President. He was mentor of many of the early trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ists 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. He was seen as a person who could be trusted by all sections of the Indian community, for when the Kisan Sangh
Kisan Sangh
Kisan Sangh was the first farmers' union formed in Fiji on 27 November 1937. This was the result of one man's determination to improve the plight of Fiji's Indian cane farmers...
split into two factions in 1943, both sides agreed to have the union’s books audited by him. He was the president of the Fiji Industrial Workers Congress (now the Fiji Trades Union Congress
Fiji Trades Union Congress
The Fiji Trades Union Congress is a trade union organization in Fiji, originally founded in 1952 under the leadership of Pandit Ami Chandra as the Fiji Industrial Workers Congress . As the FIWC the organisation was the third federation in Oceania, after the ACTU and the NZCTU, to join the ICFTU. ...
), 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.
Founder of Ba Football Association
In 1935, with support from CSR, he formed the BaBa Province
Ba is a province of Fiji, occupying the north-western sector of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It is one of fourteen Provinces in the nation of Fiji, and one of eight based in Viti Levu. It is Fiji's most populous Province, with a population of 231,760 - more than a quarter of the nation's...
Indian Football Association with a local league which grew to four teams by 1940.
Member of Legislative Council
He was also a nominated member of the Legislative Council, from 1947 to 1950 and worked closely with Vishnu DeoVishnu Deo
Pandit Vishnu Deo OBE was the first Fiji born and bred leader of the Fiji Indians. From 1929, when he was first elected to the Legislative Council, until his retirement in 1959, he remained the most powerful Fiji Indian political leader in Fiji...
.
His legacy
On 16 March 1954, only three days after his death, the Fiji Industria Workers Congress, of which he was the President, set up and opened a fund to erect a building in his emory on the family land in Samabula, Suva (but a building was constructed for this purpose by the Arya Pratinhdhi Sabah of Fiji.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
Lautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...
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
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, on 13 March 1954, on his way to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as the guest of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
, 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."
Chandra was married to Sarvati Deviji and had four daughters; Saroj, Jyan, Pushpa and Om.