historic Khalsa college reunion held in Ba Fiji islands

HISTORy was created on the twenty-ninth of July 2023, when Khalsa College Ba, Fiji's first reunion, was organised.

Qamar Azad, the organiser in chief, said, “Six countries, zoom meetings and finding mutual time in the multiple time zones was a challenge in itself. Many people have asked Qamar, why did you do it? What was the passion behind this?

He explained that in 1979 he was sent home for nonpayment of fees; he went home and started working on his father's farm, and two weeks later, Mr Kanwal had gone to their house and convinced Qamar's dad that Qamar belonged to Khalsa College and not their farm, after a twohour conversation Qamar’s dad said to Qamar, if you want to study, pack your bags and go with Mr Kanwal, so for six months Qamar stayed with Kanwal family, Qamar further said that what he is today due to that gesture by Mr Kanwal, so all he is doing is encouraging everyone to give back to the college, his idea of bringing everyone together was to remind everyone of the foundation that Khalsa College had laid for them.

Mr J.S.Kanwal was the principal of Khalsa College in Ba from 1960-1987, lecturer in English for Business Communication at Fiji Institute of Technology from 1987-1991, Fiji Indian Cultural Centre administrator from 1993-2003, former chairperson of the Multi-ethnic Cultural Council in Ba, and a Justice of the Peace. His novels include Savera, Dharti Mere Mata, Saat Samundar Paar, Karvat, The Morning, The New Migrant and A Love Story: 1920. His non-fiction works are Mera Desh, Mere Log; A Hundred Years of Hindi in Fiji; Walking. Mr Kanwal also wrote Hindi poems such as Yaddon ki Khushboo, Kuch Pattey Kuch Panchurian, Dard Apne Apne, An Anthology of Hindi Poets of Fiji, and Many Rainbows of Love. The short stories he wrote are Hum Log and An Anthology of Hindi Short Stories from Fiji.

Apart from all these, he regularly contributed articles to The Fiji Times and the vernacular newspaper Shanti Dut. Mr Kanwal was the president and secretary of the Fiji Principals Association, a member of the Fiji Teachers Union, the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration, and past president and trustee of the Sikh Educational Society of Fiji.

Sairaj Mohamad (coorganiser) of Brisbane Australia invited Umesh Chandra OAM to the organising committee and asked Umesh to be on the programming committee. Later, Umesh was asked to be the MC for the event.

The event at Kshatriya Hall in Ba, Fiji, was fully subscribed; Umesh Chandra OAM began the program with a silent prayer where everyone prayed silently. The speakers for the night included Bayant Singh – President Khalsa College Management Committee, Former president of Lautoka Sikh Temple and Fiji Sikh Association.

Jack Datta – one of the first students from 1959, Born in Wailailai Ba in 1947Went to Wailailai Methodist Mission school, where his dad, Mr Barakat Masih, was a Headmaster. Jack gave a detailed history of the College.

Haji Mohammed Riyaz (OC, Ba Police), ex-Khalsa Student. Harpreet Singh Eldest, son of Mr and Mrs Kanwal, delivered and emotional speech and presented a selection of books chosen and wrapped by Mr Kanwal to Ahmed Bhamji.

Next speaker, Shelly –Ex-Khalsa student from California, Shalen Sandhu – also known as Shelly, originally from Matniqara, student Khalsa Primary 1973 –1978 and Khalsa College from 1978 – 1980, representing her classmates of the same period.

The chief guest was HON.

CHARAN JEATH SINGHMinister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar Industry

Charan Jeath Singh is a businessman, politician, Cabinet Minister, Former Mayor of Labasa and the founder of the CJS Group of companies.

Musa Ismail Advisory Boards of Al Noor Masjid, Islamic Cultural Centre of BC and Guilford Islamic Centre Projects delivered the keynote address.

He attended Khalsa College from 1963 to 1966. He represented Khalsa in Oratory and Debate competitions, played field hockey and soccer, and was the school prefect.

He graduated with an “A” in the Senior Cambridge exams and won a scholarship to attend Natabua College in Lautoka. He was among the first locals hired as South Pacific Sugar Mills staff.

Other Speakers included Susheel Sanga from Melbourne, Australia, and Meena Pratap from Wellington, New Zealand.

The entertainment was by local singers in the Fiji Indian Genre, arranged by Premila Prasad.

Logo and poster design was by Brisbane Indian Times, and banner printing was by Feroz Aswat of Auckland Copiers and Solutions. Umesh and Usha Chandra donated the custommade reunion badges.

Catering, decoration, and sound were outsourced to local providers, and the team managed registration and minor embellishments.

On Sunday, 30 July, the attendees were invited to visit Khalsa College, and a special “Ardaash” was arranged in the college Gurudwara; the college management had arranged for morning tea for all attendees. Thanks to everyone who contributed to a successful and historic Khalsa College reunion.