Indian Imperial Association

The Indian Imperial Association of Fiji (I.I.A.) was active in Fiji during the last years of the indenture system, safeguarding the interests of and assisting in the improvement of the Indian community.

The original Association was established in 1911, following a severe hurricane that had brought much hardship to the Indians in the Central division, with the name British Indian Association of Fiji. It was formed by a group that included J.P. Maharaj (a Suva Storekeeper), Totaram Sanadhya (a pundit and social worker from Rewa), Ram Singh (a Suva printer) and Ram Rup. The meeting was chaired by Shriyut Rupram and discussed grievances such as the lack of educated leadership amongst the Indians and the dependence on European lawyers. Totaram Sanadhya was responsible for its Hindi language correspondence.

The Indian Imperial Association of Fiji (I.I.A.) came into existence in Fiji on 2 June 1918 after the arrival of Manilal Doctor, who asked for the original name of the association (British Indian Association of Fiji) to be changed because the name had the word "British" in it and Manilal, being a citizen of Baroda State, was not a British subject. Manilal became the President of the Indian Imperial Association of Fiji and Ram Singh its Secretary. The association contained mainly educated Fiji Indians. It sent petitions to the Government seeking review of marriage law, an end to the death penalty and representation into the Legislative Council. The aim of the association was to ‘watch the interests of and to assist in the general improvement of the Indian community in Fiji’. As president of the I.I.A., Manilal Doctor wrote to Gandhi, other Indian leaders and the British Labour Party on the sad plight of Indian indentured labourers in Fiji. C.F. Andrews and W.W. Pearson were dispatched to Fiji to enquire into the complaints. Manilal Doctor made submissions for their report, published on 29 February 1916, which reported on the deplorable living conditions of the indentured labourers and their lack of access to education and medical facilities.

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