Parmanand Singh
Encyclopedia
Parmanand Singh was one of the three Fiji Indians elected to the Legislative Council
of Fiji
in October 1929 when Indians in Fiji were given the first opportunity to elect their own representatives. The other two were Vishnu Deo
and James Ramchandar Rao
. Singh was a landlord from Ba and undertook several business ventures which included publishing newspapers.
Parmanand Singh was born in Yalalevu
, Ba
, Fiji in 1905. His parents had come to Fiji as indentured labourer
s and prospered in the opportunities available after indenture. He was educated at Auckland
College, graduating in 1923. While in New Zealand
, he played rugby, a game rarely played by Fiji Indians.
On his return to Fiji, he took advantage of a business opportunity by leasing land from Colonial Sugar Refining Company
(CSR) and sub-leasing it to small farmers.
Like most rich farmers from Ba, he joined the Arya Samaj and was picked by Vishnu Deo to contest the North Western Indian Division which included the cane growing areas of the western districts of Viti Levu
. Parmanand Singh won easily with the support of Vishnu Deo and the Arya Samaj
, an organisation to which most educated Fiji Indians belonged. Two weeks after being sworn in he, together with the other two Fiji Indian representatives, resigned when a motion asking for equal political rights for Fiji Indians was defeated.
He was opposed to the immigration of Punjabi
s and Gujarati
s, a cause later taken up by his brother, Chattur Singh
who was later also a member of the Legislative Council.
In 1948, he left for India
for the education of his children and returned 3 years later.
He saw opportunities in the printing industry and established a printing press in Ba, which he used to publish a newspaper, Awaaz (The Voice) in the Hindi
language. He was unable to keep the newspaper in circulation due to a natural disaster and poor staff. He then moved to Lautoka
and in 1956, started publishing another newspaper, Jai Fiji, which remained in circulation until 1980.
The family involvement in Fijian politics has continued with his son, Anand Kumar Singh
, also serving in the House of Representatives
and Senate
and was the Attorney General in the Chaudhry Labour Government from 1999 to 2000.
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:...
of Fiji
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...
in October 1929 when Indians in Fiji were given the first opportunity to elect their own representatives. The other two were Vishnu Deo
Vishnu 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...
and James Ramchandar Rao
James Ramchandar Rao
James Ranchandar Rao was one of the three Fiji Indians elected to the Legislative Council of Fiji in October 1929 when Indians in Fiji were given the first opportunity to elect their own representatives...
. Singh was a landlord from Ba and undertook several business ventures which included publishing newspapers.
Parmanand Singh was born in Yalalevu
Yalalevu
Yalalevu is a settlement in the District of Ba in Fiji, bounded by the Ba River on the east, Namosau River on the south and the settlement and village of Nailaga towards the north and west. Most of Yalalevu is within the Ba town boundary and this area is known as the Yalalevu Ward for Local...
, 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...
, Fiji in 1905. His parents had come to Fiji as indentured labourer
Indian indenture system
The Indian indenture system was an ongoing system of indenture by which thousands of Indians were transported to various colonies of European powers to provide labour for the plantations...
s and prospered in the opportunities available after indenture. He was educated at Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
College, graduating in 1923. While in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, he played rugby, a game rarely played by Fiji Indians.
On his return to Fiji, he took advantage of a business opportunity by leasing land from 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) and sub-leasing it to small farmers.
Like most rich farmers from Ba, he joined the Arya Samaj and was picked by Vishnu Deo to contest the North Western Indian Division which included the cane growing areas of the western districts of Viti Levu
Viti Levu
Viti Levu is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji, the site of the nation's capital, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population.- Geography and economy :...
. Parmanand Singh won easily with the support of Vishnu Deo and the Arya Samaj
Arya Samaj (Fiji)
The Arya Samaj was the first religious, cultural and educational Fiji Indian organisation established in Fiji. From its inception, in 1904, it attracted the young, educated and progressive Hindus into its fold...
, an organisation to which most educated Fiji Indians belonged. Two weeks after being sworn in he, together with the other two Fiji Indian representatives, resigned when a motion asking for equal political rights for Fiji Indians was defeated.
He was opposed to the immigration of Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
s and Gujarati
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
s, a cause later taken up by his brother, Chattur Singh
Chattur Singh
Chandersen Chattur Singh caused a major sensation in early Fiji Indian politics, when against all odds he defeated A.D. Patel, a well known lawyer and political ally of Vishnu Deo, in the 1937 Legislative Council Election.- Early Political Activities :...
who was later also a member of the Legislative Council.
In 1948, he left for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for the education of his children and returned 3 years later.
He saw opportunities in the printing industry and established a printing press in Ba, which he used to publish a newspaper, Awaaz (The Voice) in the Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
language. He was unable to keep the newspaper in circulation due to a natural disaster and poor staff. He then moved to 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...
and in 1956, started publishing another newspaper, Jai Fiji, which remained in circulation until 1980.
The family involvement in Fijian politics has continued with his son, Anand Kumar Singh
Anand Singh
Anand Kumar Singh is a Fijian lawyer and politician of Indian descent. He was born on 8 August 1948 in Bombay, when his family had temporarily moved to India. The family returned from India in 1951 to live at the birthplace of his father, Parmanand Singh, in Yalalevu, Ba...
, also serving in the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
and Senate
Senate (Fiji)
The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers; it may not initiate legislation, but may amend or veto it. The Senate's powers over financial bills are more restricted: it may veto them in their entirety, but may not amend them...
and was the Attorney General in the Chaudhry Labour Government from 1999 to 2000.