Prominent Fiji-Indian

in Singapore Constellation Crash

ONE of the victims of the BOAC Constellation crash at Singa pore on March 13, was Pandit Ami Chandra, of Fiji.

He was on his way to the UK, on a Fiji Government bursary, to spend 4 h months studying teaching methods in secondary schools, and the Trade Union movement there.

He was principal of DAV College, Samabula, and President of the Fiji Industrial Workers’ Congress, and one of the most scholarly Indians of Fiji. He graduated from Guru kula University, Kangri, Hardwar, in the United Provinces of India in 1922, going to Fiji in 1927, where he was appointed Head Master of the Gurukula Navosa, Lautoka. In 1946 he took his Diploma of Educa tion at Auckland. In 1947-50 he was a Nominated Member of the Fiji Legislative Council. In 1948 he re turned to New Zealand to complete his MA Degree, and in the follow ing year was a member of the Fiji Delegation to the Pacific Science Congress meeting at Christchurch, NZ. .. * He has been vice-president and president of the Fiji Teachers’

Union, is the author of educational books in Hindi used in Fiji schools, and recently became a member of the Fiji Broadcasting Commission.

Last December he was one of a small delegation which went from Fiji to New Caledonia to study labouring conditions pffered by mining and plantation interests to Fiji Indian labourers there.

Pandit Ami Chandra was closely associated with the formation of Labour Unions in Fiji. As father and almost sole adviser to these in fant Unions he undoubtedly had a great influence in the Labour Move ment in the colony and a great responsibility to keep them on the right track.

He was a “moderate,” and greatly respected by all sections of the com munity.

He is survived by his wife and a son and daughter in Fiji, by two daughters in NZ and another in India.