Irene Jai Narayan
| Irene Jai Narayan | |
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| Member of Legislative Council (Fiji) Suva Indian Communal Constituency |
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In office 1966–1972 |
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| Member of House of Representatives (Fiji) Suva City Indian Communal Constituency |
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In office 1972–1987 |
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| Minister of Indian Affairs | |
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In office 1987–1992 |
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| Senator | |
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In office 1994–1999 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1932 Lukhnow, India |
| Died | 29 July 2011 Suva, Fiji |
| Political party | National Federation Party, Alliance Party, National Alliance Party |
| Spouse(s) | Jai Narayan |
| Residence | Suva, Fiji |
| Profession | Teacher |
Irene Jai Narayan, (1932 – 29 July 2011) was an Indian born teacher and politician, who had a significant influence on politics in Fiji. She came to Fiji in 1959 after marrying Jai Narayan, a well known school Principal in Suva, and began her career as a teacher. She taught in DAV Girls School and MGM High School in Suva before entering politics.
In 1966, she was handpicked by the then leader of the Federation Party, A. D. Patel to contest the Suva Indian Communal seat in the Legislative Council against Andrew Deoki. Deoki was an experienced political campaigner, having represented Suva in the Legislative Council since 1959 and had wide social contacts. He was the only non-Federation Indian member elected in the 1963 elections. A.D. Patel was of the opinion that a female candidate would be able to counteract some of Deoki's influence in the constituency. In the end Irene Narayan won easily by 5,676 votes to 2,779 votes. She increased her majority in the 1968 by-election. For a long time, she remained the sole Indian female member of the Legislative Council.
Irene Narayan was elected to independent Fiji's House of Representatives in the 1972, 1977 (March), 1977 (September) and 1982 elections, from the Suva Indian Communal Constituency. In 1977 when the National Federation Party split into two factions, she joined the "Flower" faction, with Jai Ram Reddy, opposed to Sidiq Koya's "Dove" faction. In the September, 1977 election, the "Flower" faction won most of the seats reserved for Indians, Jai Ram Reddy became the Leader of the Opposition and Irene Narayan played an influential role within the "Flower" faction. In January 1977, The Fiji Times honoured her as its Woman of the Year.
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