Moti Tikaram
Encyclopedia
Sir Moti Tikaram, KBE
, (born 1925) has been a judge of the Supreme Court of Fiji, the first ombudsman
of independent Fiji
and a soccer administrator. He was the first local person to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Fiji. He has served on numerous boards and committees and is the patron of several sporting organisations.
near Suva
in Fiji
in 1925.He was brought up with six brothers and four sisters and he is the fourth eldest among his siblings. For his primary education, he attended Samabula Government Primary School from classes 1 to 4 and Suva Methodist Primary School from classes 5 to 8. For his secondary education, he attended Marist Brothers High School in Suva. He initially wanted to be a journalist and went to New Zealand
and studied the program for two years in Auckland University. He realised that journalism would not be a wise occupation to be in so he started law studies in Wellington
.
from 1984 to 1989. After Fiji became a republic in 1987, he was re-appointed as a judge and served for many years as the President of the Fiji Court of Appeal.
from 1959 to 1960 and is credited with making the Association multi-racial and initiating moves to have its name changed from Fiji Indian Football Association.
Sir Moti was also a supreme court judge and was appointed acting chief justice of Fiji 20 times but due to racial discrimination was not given the role for life. He was also nominated for Vice president of Fiji by Rambuka and Ratu Mara did agree but was overturned by the Great Cuncil chiefs if Fiji due to racial discrimination.
, Fiji Lawn Tennis Association, Fiji Table Tennis Association and Fiji Chess Federation
.
Sir Moti is widower, with three children, Savita, Anil and Sunil.
Krishan is Sir Moti's youngest grandson is very good friends with Dame Sian Elias chief justice of New Zealand and is pursuing a career as a lawyer and judge.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (born 1925) has been a judge of the Supreme Court of Fiji, the first ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
of independent Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and a soccer administrator. He was the first local person to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Fiji. He has served on numerous boards and committees and is the patron of several sporting organisations.
Early life
Sir Moti was born in LamiLami
Lami, Fiji is an urban area in Rewa Province, Fiji, north-west of Suva. It was formally incorporated as a Town in 1977, and had a population of 20,529 at the most recent census in 2007. The municipal boundaries enclose an area of 680 square kilometers....
near Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in 1925.He was brought up with six brothers and four sisters and he is the fourth eldest among his siblings. For his primary education, he attended Samabula Government Primary School from classes 1 to 4 and Suva Methodist Primary School from classes 5 to 8. For his secondary education, he attended Marist Brothers High School in Suva. He initially wanted to be a journalist and went to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and studied the program for two years in Auckland University. He realised that journalism would not be a wise occupation to be in so he started law studies in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
.
Legal and judicial career
He returned to Fiji and practised as a lawyer before being the first local to be appointed a Stipendiary Magistrate in 1959. In 1967, he was the first local named as a High Court judge. He was appointed Fiji's first Ombudsman in 1972. At the time of his retirement in 1987, he was the longest serving national ombudsman in the world. He was a member of the International Commission of JuristsInternational Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists is an international human rights non-governmental organization. The Commission itself is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists , including members of the senior judiciary in Australia, Canada, and South Africa and the former UN High Commissioner for Human...
from 1984 to 1989. After Fiji became a republic in 1987, he was re-appointed as a judge and served for many years as the President of the Fiji Court of Appeal.
Football administrator
Tikaram was the President of the Fiji Football AssociationFiji Football Association
The Fiji Football Association is the governing body of football in Fiji. It came into existence in 1961, replacing the ethnically based Fiji Indian Football Association...
from 1959 to 1960 and is credited with making the Association multi-racial and initiating moves to have its name changed from Fiji Indian Football Association.
Sir Moti was also a supreme court judge and was appointed acting chief justice of Fiji 20 times but due to racial discrimination was not given the role for life. He was also nominated for Vice president of Fiji by Rambuka and Ratu Mara did agree but was overturned by the Great Cuncil chiefs if Fiji due to racial discrimination.
Later life
Sir Moti is a patron of many national sports bodies, including the Fiji Football AssociationFiji Football Association
The Fiji Football Association is the governing body of football in Fiji. It came into existence in 1961, replacing the ethnically based Fiji Indian Football Association...
, Fiji Lawn Tennis Association, Fiji Table Tennis Association and Fiji Chess Federation
Fiji Chess Federation
The Fiji Chess Federation coordinates chess tournaments in Fiji and is affiliated to FIDE .-History:Chess has been played in Fiji for a long time, but it was the 1972 World Championship, between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasky, that provided the impetus for chess competitions in the country with the...
.
Sir Moti is widower, with three children, Savita, Anil and Sunil.
Awards
- In 1980, he was made a knight commander of the most Order of the British Empire.
- In 2007, he was awarded with Pravasi Bharatiya SammanPravasi Bharatiya SammanThe Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is an award constituted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas , to honor exceptional and meritorious contribution in their chosen field/profession...
by the Ministry of Overseas Indian AffairsMinistry of Overseas Indian AffairsThe Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is part of the government of India. The ministry, as of May 2008, is headed by Vayalar Ravi.Its website states:...
. - In 2009, was awarded the "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Award" in New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India at the Indian Diaspora Celebrations.
Krishan is Sir Moti's youngest grandson is very good friends with Dame Sian Elias chief justice of New Zealand and is pursuing a career as a lawyer and judge.