Tulsi Ram Sharma MBE was the first

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 ...

to qualify as a lawyer. He served one term as member of 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 ...

and three terms as the President of Fiji Indian Football Association. He was one of the founding members of the

Maha Sangh Akhil Fiji Krishak Maha Sangh (All Fiji Farmers’ Grand Union) was a sugar cane farmers' union formed on 15 June 1941 in opposition to the existing union, the Kisan Sangh. Supporters of Kisan Sangh tried to stop the formation of the Maha Sangh but ...

, but his association with farmers' union was short-lived. In 1941 he was appointed to Central Indian War Committee, formed by the Government to enlist the support of Indians to the war effort.

Member of Legislative Council

After completing his law degree, Tulsi Ram started practising in

Lautoka Lautoka (, ) is the second largest List of cities and towns in Fiji#List, metropolitan area in Fiji. It is on the west coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Ba Province of the Western Division, Fiji, Western Division. Lying in the heart of ...

. In 1950, the two main organisations active in politics in the sugar cane growing districts of

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 ...

were the farmers’ unions,

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. Ayodhya Prasad had arrived from India in 1929, and after a stint a ...

and Maha Sangh. A. D. Patel was the incumbent for the North West Indian Division and had the support of Maha Sangh while the preferred candidate for Kisan Sangh was Ayodhya Prasad. When Tulsi Ram also put up his nomination,

Ayodhya Prasad Ayodhya Prasad Sharma (Hindi: अयोध्या प्रसाद शर्मा, 30 April 1909 – 28 February 1972) was an Indo-Fijian farmers' leader and politician. He formed the most successful farmers' union in Fiji and forced the ...

withdrew in his favour as he did not want to split the anti-Patel votes. With the support of the Kisan Sangh, Tulsi Ram won the election by 2340 votes to 1850 votes. After the election Tulsi Ram declared his neutrality as he wanted both farmers’ unions to work together. The Kisan Sangh withdrew its support for Tulsi Ram and he was destined to be a one-term member of the Legislative Council.

President of Fiji Indian Football Association

Tulsi Ram Sharma was the second President of the Fiji Indian Football Association, taking over its leadership two years after its formation in 1938. He served three terms as President; 1940–1945, 1948–1950, and 1954. Under his leadership Football Associations were formed in most districts of Fiji and a regular inter-district soccer tournament was organised. He also encouraged the inclusion of players of all races in his Association, although it was not until 1961 that the name was changed to

Fiji Football Association The Fiji Football Association is the governing body of football in Fiji. It came into existence in 1961. It is the overseeing body of the Fiji National Team and its leagues. History Football started to be played in Fiji ever since the arrival o ...

References

Bibliography

* A.P. Sharma, ''Farmers Struggle in Fiji: a History of Fiji Kisan Sangh'', Vicas Press, Lautoka, Fiji, 1962 * M. Prasad, ''Sixty Years of Soccer in Fiji 1938–1998: The Official History of Fiji Football Association'', Fiji Football Association, Suva, 1998 {{DEFAULTSORT:Sharma, Tulsi Ram Indian members of the Legislative Council of Fiji 20th-century Fijian lawyers Fijian trade unionists Members_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire