Tulsi Ram Sharma MBE was the first

Indo-Fijian Indo-Fijians or Indian-Fijians (also known as Fiji Indians) are Fijian citizens of Indian descent, and include people who trace their ancestry to various regions of the Indian subcontinent.Girmit by Suresh Prasad Although Indo-Fijians constit ...

to qualify as a lawyer. He served one term as member of the Legislative Council and three terms as the President of

Fiji Indian Football Association Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), 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 ...

. He was one of the founding members of the Maha Sangh, 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 city in Fiji. It is on the west coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Ba Province of the Western Division. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane-growing region, the city has come to be known as the Sugar ...

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

and Maha Sangh.

A. D. Patel Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel, better known as A.D. Patel (13 March 1905 – 1 October 1969), was an Indo-Fijian politician, farmers' leader and founder and leader of the National Federation Party. Patel was uncompromisingly committed to a vision of ...

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 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 of ...

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