January 2017 india fiji today 1

AN ONLINE MAGAZINE ABOUT FIJI AND INDIA LIFESTYLES

SHARLIN UGRA OF VANCOUVER CANADA WELCOMES NEW YEAR IN A STYLE...

READ INSIDE PUBLISHED & EDITED BY ARUN MAHARAJ HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA-USA 510—875 0568— indiafijitoday@gmail.com Facebook.com/Arun Maharaj

PUBLISHED IN USA

J A N U A R Y

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FIJI COMMUNITY IN AMERICA COMMUNITY NEWS FROM FIJI COMMUNITY LIVING ABROAD...

MISS WORLD FIJI 2016 POOJA PRIYANKA GRACES A NEW YEAR’S EVE FUNCTION IN HAYWARD - SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

MISS WORLD FIJI 2016 POOJA PRIYANKA (SECOND FROM LEFT) WITH SANJAY SEN (EXTREME LEFT) FACING PICTURE WITH GUESTS AT THE NEW YEAR’S FUNCTION. THE PICTURE IS PROVIDED BY SANJAY SEN AND TAKEN BY SAINESH KUMAR

This year's New Year's Eve Party started with a bang in Raja Sweets India Cuisine in Hayward. The party was sold out way before the event. Everyone had a great time with the combination of Indian and Fijian style food. The music

rocked till 1am and all the guests went home complimenting the organization committee. Sainesh Kumar, Mahen Singh and Sanjay Sen, put up a great show. People in the Bay Area are waiting for the 1

organizes to do another event soon. Similar functions were organized in other parts of the San Francisco Bay Area by various groups.

This article is compiled by Sanjay Sen, one of the organizers of the function.

PUBLISHER’S PROFILE Arun Maharaj, the publisher and editor of INDIA FIJI TODAY, is a Past CoChairman of California Business Advisory Council and in that capacity he was invited to the United States President’s Dinner in Washington D.C. in 2003, during President George W. Bush’s Presidency. Being actively involved in community and leadership work, he is a California Jaycees Senator and Jaycees International Senator, the highest honor in Jaycees organization worldwide. He served as an Advisor of ‘Fiji Festival USA’ in Hayward, California. While in Fiji he

served as a President of Nasinu Jaycees and later after serving on various positions at the national level he became a National President of Fiji Jaycees. Among other community development work, he served as the Director of Nasinu Festival and an Advisor of ‘Valelevu Hospital’ Carnival, in Nasinu. As a teacher, by profession he taught at Vunimono High School in Nausori. D. A. V. College in Suva, Yat Sen School in Suva and Rishikul Sanatan College in Nasinu.

His leadership school activities included

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ARUN MAHARAJ

Patron of D.A.V. College ‘Interact Club’ and Advisor of Rishikul Sanatan College Students Council and Editor–School Magazine. He also served as the Secretary of ‘Rewa Secondary Schools’ Soccer Association’ and Secretary of the ‘Fiji Teachers’ Union’ Credit Union. He worked at Tennyson High School in Hayward, California USA.

‘PEOPLE IN FIJI COMMUNITY’ IN FIJI AND ABROAD…

SHARLIN UGRA - VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA New Year was welcomed by Sharlin in a highly positive attitude as she wished her family and friends a Happy 2017. Her elegant dressing speaks about her positive nature. Born in Suva, she attended D A V College in Suva for her secondary education.

Being her teacher at D A V, it is a honor and pleasure for me to write about her.

Sharlin completed her high school education and then migrated to Canada in 1987 and Vancouver is her home since then. She has been working in an Administrative/ Finance field for the last over fifteen years.

She is happily married and has a daughter 21 years old and a son 16 years.

SHARLIN UGRA success in life.

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In a serious car accident in Vancouver in 1991 she was hit head-on while driving to work. Her serious bodily injury left her through lots of pain and suffering and rehabilitation for about three years.

She got back on the path and made success in life. Today she is happy and enjoying life with her husband and children in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. India Fiji Today wishes her further

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F

FIJI FEATURE

FIJI SCHOOLS REOPEN FOR YEAR 2017 Thousands of school children across the country made their way to their schools.

Schools reopen for a new school year at the beginning of the year and finish off for major annual break in December. As children STUDENTS ATTENDING CLASS IN A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN NASINU made their way to schools, some many have gone to provide the same education as they did school for the first time and some may decades back and act as shelters for have gone to the final year in secondary their community during times of need. school. The tertiary higher educational Some schools in Fiji are controlled by ininstitutions also begin their studies for dividual committees or by organizations the year around this time. Schools are on private basis. They are given grants looked upon as centers for various other by the government and the teachers are things and in times of natural disaster provided by the government as well. The such as flooding and hurricane they act physical structure, the building belongs as shelters for the safety of people. to the school management and it is their There are many very old established, responsibility to maintain it and construct schools in Fiji primary and secondary more buildings as the need arises. For alike. They have been standing there for decades this service has been going on, decades holding a history, worth know- committee members have come and ing behind each of them. The entire gone but the system continues. It is a community surrounding the schools may great selfless service that the people have changed over the years but the have provided and are providing in eduschools remain the same, that is, they cating the children of Fiji.

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A LOOK AT FIJI’S PAST

NASINU TEACHERS’ COLLEGE IN THE SEVENTIES AN INSTITUTION THAT DOES NOT EXIST TODAY...

Nasinu Teachers’ College, an institution that was a landmark of Nasinu until late eighties. Previously known as Nasinu Training College, it was set up long back during the colonial days of Fiji. Teachers were produced by the college who served in various parts of Fiji. Some of those teachers became national leaders of the country. The teacher training program was such that it prepared the teachers to act as leaders in their communities apart from imparting knowledge to the children. The formal education program that the teachers used taught discipline to the children which became

their major asset for future life. The name, from Nasinu Training College was later changed to Nasinu Teachers’ College and it continued to provide the necessary education program to its student teachers. During the seventies the college catered for a few hundred students divided into first year and second year students along with one—year course students. It also provided third year course for Junior Secondary Schools in Home Economics, and Physical Education, Music and Art. The boarding facilities made it convenient for the student teachers to do their

night studies. The bonding between the students was great and the friendship between some students continued even after the college days were over and they became teachers in different parts of the country.

The beautiful and spacious campus, lecture rooms, library, labs, sports field were all conducive to learning. After offering so much to the country, the institution was closed down for good in late eighties and the teacher training program was moved to Lautoka. Nasinu Teachers’ College remains in the hearts and minds of those who had the opportunity of getting education there.

A former teacher in Fiji, Mrs. Ahmati Prasad of Nasinu was a teacher in the 1950’s and 1960’s. She taught in Suva and Nasinu schools. In her early 90’s now, she is still active and carries out her reading and preaching as she did during her teaching days. In the picture taken at her home in Nasinu a few years ago, she is seen with Arun Maharaj – Publisher, India Fiji Today, her nephew, who is also a former student of the college and a former teacher in Fiji.

THIS ARTICLE IS DEDICATED TO MRS. AHMATI PRASAD - A FORMER TEACHER IN FIJI AND A RESIDENT OF NASINU, FIJI. 11

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FIJI FLASHBACK - KEEPING THE PAST

DAV BOYS COLLEGE, SUVA INTERACT CLUB 1984 This picture was taken at DAV College in Suva in 1984 during the annual presentation of the Interact Club of DAV. Seen in the picture are (left to right facing the picture) Late Mr. Rattanthe pioneer principal of DAV College, Suva Rotaract Club rep, late Mr. Pal— Suva Rotary Club rep, Arun Maharaj — DAV Interact Club Advisor, a student — club vice president, Mrs. Shereen Singh — DAV Interact Assistant Advisor. The good old days of student activities in various charitable organizations in Suva such as the Suva Old People’s Home, Blind School, Suva Crippled Children’s School and others. Students got involved in service to community and learnt leadership skills.

DAV College-Suva was one of the very few secondary schools in Fiji at that time to have such a club.

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INDIA IN PICTURES INDIA IN PICTURES SHIMLA A HILL STATION CITY IN NORTH INDIA

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INDIA IN PICTURES A GATHERING OUTSIDE A DHABA IN PUNJAB

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OBJECTIVES OF ‘INDIA FIJI TODAY’ ‘To highlight the activities within the Fiji Community in America and abroad’ ‘To give review on major happenings in Fiji—An opinion only’‘ - FIJI TODAY—To enlighten issues on Fiji—past & present’ ‘To entertain people by pictures of Fiji’ ‘Inform and entertain Fiji Community about India through articles and pictures’ ‘To recognize people in Fiji Community’ FIJI IN PICTURES—THIS SECTION IS NOT INTENDED TO ADVICE TRAVELERS TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS TO TRAVEL TO THESE PLACES. THESE ARE MY PERSONAL PICTURES AND THE WRITE– UPS ARE MY OWN VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES THAT ARE SHARED FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONLY. FOR INFO. TO TRAVEL YOU MAY DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

Disclaimer—Fiji Today/Fiji Feature FIJI TODAYis the editor’s REVIEW on the major happenings back in Fiji based on the information from - Online Fiji Times; Fiji Live, Fiji Village, Fiji Sun; visitors to and from Fiji and other Fiji publications.

These are editor’s own views based on the information from those sources. FIJI COMMUNITY articles are news items created and compiled by the editor. Any error/s and or misinterpretation are regretted and the editor / publisher is not responsible for any such error/s and or further discussions and or any liability. India Feature is the sharing of the editor’s own experience on visits to India. INDIAN FILM WORLD is a researched article .The Publisher/Editor of India Fiji Today will not accept any LIABILITY, CRITICISM, ANNOYANCE or ADVERSE REACTION what so ever, to the contrary of its intention caused by any misinterpretation, miss-understanding or non-acceptance of the same.—Advertisements The claims made by the advertisers are entirely their own and the editor / publisher does not necessarily support or endorse these claims.

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