Mirza Salim Buksh (died 27 July 1967) was an

Indo-Fijian Indo-Fijians () are Fijians of South Asian descent whose ancestors were Girmitiyas, indentured labourers. Indo-Fijians trace their ancestry to various regions of the Indian subcontinent. Although Indo-Fijians constituted a majority of Fiji's ...

community leader. One of the first Indo-Fijians to gain a formal education, he was chosen as one of the representatives of the

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

n community on a number of occasions. He helped form and supported a number of social and religious organisations. He also served one term as a nominated member in the

Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...

Early life

Born in

Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...

, Buksh emigrated to Fiji in 1910, where he worked as an interpreter and clerk.Mr. M.S. Buksh
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', August 1967, p138 He was one of the early group of Indi-Fijians to acquire sufficient formal education to be employed in government service. In 1922, Buksh, together with Odin Ramrakha and

Vishnu Deo Pt. Vishnu Deo (Hindi: विष्णु देव) OBE (17 July 1900 – 7 May 1968) was the first Fiji born and bred leader of the Indo-Fijians. From his initial election to the Legislative Council in 1929 to his retirement in 1959, he rem ...

, helped the Raju Commission that made inquiries into the conditions of the Indian community in Fiji. In 1924, he was one of the founding members of the Indian Reform League, the first social and sporting organisation formed for Fiji Indians. He was also a founding member of the

Fiji Muslim League Fiji Muslim League (FML) is an organisation founded in 1926 in Fiji. Following its foundation the organisation set up branches across the country. Most of the Muslim schools in Fiji are operated by the Fiji Muslim League. History Formation ...

in 1926. He worked for the

Supreme Court of Fiji The Supreme Court of Fiji is one of three courts originally established in Chapter 9 of the 1997 Constitution of Fiji, the others being the High Court and the Court of Appeal. In the current Constitution of Fiji, the Supreme Court is declar ...

and as a repatriation officer. Although he retired in 1939, he returned to work for the civil service during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Involvement in politics

Buksh was a nominated member of the

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

in 1947, as an Indian nominated member by the Governor. He is remembered for an incident which caused a rift between A. D. Patel and

. In 1948, when the Governor asked the five Indian members of the Legislative Council to elect one from amongst themselves to be a member of the Executive Council, A.D. Patel and Vishnu Deo both put forward their names. (The member elected into the Executive Council would have been recognised as the leader of the Indian community.)

Ami Chandra Pandit Ami Chandra Vidyalankar (1900 – 13 March 1954) was an Indo-Fijian educator, preacher, labour leader, politician and football administrator. He served as a member of the Legislative Council of Fiji, Legislative Council between 1947 and ...

supported Vishnu Deo, whereas

James Madhavan James Madhavan (died 20 December 1973) was an Indo-Fijian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives for most of the period between 1947 and 1973 and had two spells in the Executive Council. Biography Ma ...

, supported A.D. Patel. Buksh regarded both Patel and Deo as capable and could not make up his mind as to whom to support. Fully aware that Buksh did not regard himself as worthy of the position, A.D. Patel nominated him. Flattered with this support, Buksh returned the favour and threw his support behind Patel. Buksh said afterwards, "I garlanded him with the garland he offered me."

Family life

He married Sarah Florence Whippy and had seven children, including Mirza Namrud Buksh.

References

People from Chennai Indian emigrants to Fiji Fijian civil servants Members of the Legislative Council of Fiji Fijian Muslims 1967 deaths {{Fiji-politician-stub