SSSO Nominations for Fiji Honours
The SSSO nominate 3 senior devotees for Fiji Honours for their service to the nation through their individual endeavors and the Sai Organisation. We celebrate the recognition of Dr Saras Nandan and Professors Reddy & Subramani. We wish them Swami’s continued grace & blessings.
Dr Narendra Reddy (left) and Dr Saraswati Nandan, recipients of the Fiji Honours Medals.
Dr Saras Nandan, Medical Coordinator, SSSO, Fiji.
Dr Saras Nandan is one of the senior most general medical practitioners in Fiji having graduated from the prestigious Topiwala National Medical College in Bombay, in 1972. She was a recipient of an Indian Government scholarship awarded on a competitive basis at the end of her high schooling in Lautoka. She was born to a humble family in Lovu at a time when most girls did not proceed to tertiary education.
Dr Nandan is an exceptionally caring and compassionate doctor whose clinical practice is of a very high ethical and clinical standard.
She is a wonderful role model for the youth of Fiji especially young women in that she has obtained excellence at high school, completed a medical degree, conducted a busy private general practice and has been a loving mother and wife with 2 children who are successful and productive in their own right. In spite of all this she has had time to work especially for improving the lot of women in Fiji through her leadership role with the Soroptmist International.
Dr Nandan has had a lead role in the Fiji Sathya Sai Service Organisation (SSSO) for almost 4 decades. She has been a pillar of the Nadi Sai Centre and is regarded with great love and respect by all who come in contact with her. For many she is a compassionate mentor and all seek her guidance and support when the going gets tough.
Additionally Dr Nandan in her role as Medical Coordinator for the SSSO of Fiji has organised outreach medical clinics reaching out to the people living in remote Fiji. Her efforts have included the coordination of annual medical camps organized twice annually with the New Zealand and Australian Sai medical groups. These camps have been sustained for over 14 years. Each year over 5000 people in remote parts of Fiji have the opportunity of consulting medical experts from Australia and NZ. Numerous people have benefitted from surgery and procedures not normally available in Fiji. Each year the overseas visiting specialists conduct medical teaching seminars for local doctors and medical students.
Dr Nandan has been instrumental in organizing blood drives at the request of the blood bank when there is a shortage. Over the years she would have helped save many lives through encouraging blood donors to donate blood.
Dr Saraswati Nandan was nominated for a Fiji honour for the following reasons:
Dr Saras Nandan is one of the senior most general medical practitioners in Fiji having graduated from the prestigious Topiwala National Medical College in Bombay, in 1972. She was a recipient of an Indian Government scholarship awarded on a competitive basis at the end of her high schooling in Lautoka. She was born to a humble family in Lovu at a time when most girls did not proceed to tertiary education.
Dr Nandan is an exceptionally caring and compassionate doctor whose clinical practice is of a very high ethical and clinical standard.
She is a wonderful role model for the youth of Fiji especially young women in that she has obtained excellence at high school, completed a medical degree, conducted a busy private general practice and has been a loving mother and wife with 2 children who are successful and productive in their own right. In spite of all this she has had time to work especially for improving the lot of women in Fiji through her leadership role with the Soroptmist International.
Dr Nandan has had a lead role in the Fiji Sathya Sai Service Organisation (SSSO) for almost 4 decades. She has been a pillar of the Nadi Sai Centre and is regarded with great love and respect by all who come in contact with her. For many she is a compassionate mentor and all seek her guidance and support when the going gets tough.
Additionally Dr Nandan in her role as Medical Coordinator for the SSSO of Fiji has organised outreach medical clinics reaching out to the people living in remote Fiji. Her efforts have included the coordination of annual medical camps organized twice annually with the New Zealand and Australian Sai medical groups. These camps have been sustained for over 14 years. Each year over 5000 people in remote parts of Fiji have the opportunity of consulting medical experts from Australia and NZ. Numerous people have benefitted from surgery and procedures not normally available in Fiji. Each year the overseas visiting specialists conduct medical teaching seminars for local doctors and medical students.
Dr Nandan has been instrumental in organizing blood drives at the request of the blood bank when there is a shortage. Over the years she would have helped save many lives through encouraging blood donors to donate blood.
Dr Saraswati Nandan was nominated for a Fiji honour for the following reasons:
- She is a great role model for Fijian youth because of her diligence, hard work and academic success at high school and university.
- She is a wonderful role model within the medical profession for maintaining the highest ethical and clinical professional standards.
- She is a wonderful example of a doctor who provides compassionate, loving, respectful individualized care..
- She is a great example of someone who besides a busy professional and personal schedule always has time to provide leadership and create enthusiasm in others to serve the community.
- She has been an outstanding Fijian doctor who chose to stay in Fiji to serve her fellow citizens when many of her colleagues migrated after the events of 1987.
Prof Narend Reddy, Chairman of SSSO Fiji Trust, Chairman, Satyha Sai School and Institute, Former President SSSO, Fiji.
Professor Narendra Reddy was nominated for a National honour as he has a distinguished record of service in Fiji to academia, the sugar industry and social service. He was born to a humble family in Kavanagasau, Nadroga, and after his education (primary at Mulomulo Primary School in Nadi, Kavanagasau Sanatan Dharm School in Sigatoka and secondary at Natabua High School in Lautoka) began work with the South Pacific Sugar Mills Limited and later with the Fiji Sugar Corporation Limited as a management staff.
His diligence and commitment to work was recognized and he proceeded to undertake university studies at the University of the South Pacific where he completed his bachelor degree in management and economics. He gained additional academic qualifications including an MBA from the University of New South Wales, Australia and a PhD from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His academic credentials were recognized and he joined the University of The South Pacific in 1984 as a lecturer in management and at the time of his departure from USP he held the position of Associate Professor and Head of the School of Management and Public Administration. He subsequently joined The University of Fiji where he served as Professor of Business/Director of the MBA Programme, Dean of the School of Business and Economics and Acting Vice-Chancellor. He left academia in May 2019.
During his academic career and consulting work he has represented Fiji at several international conferences and meetings in his discipline with sabbatical/research work in USA, Denmark, New Zealand and Finland. He is an active member and fellow of the Pan Pacific Business Association.
Professor Reddy carried out a major consultancy in Philippines as part of Asian Productivity Organisation’s Technical Expert Services (TES) project to the Development Academy of the Philippines. This consultancy led to the development and delivery of a training programme entitled "Harnessing Corporate Culture for Productivity" for senior managers in the Philippines.
Professor Reddy has remained true to his humble background and has served to alleviate poverty and hardship amongst those most vulnerable. All through his working life he has showered his generosity often anonymously on those most in need. In more recent times we in the Sai Organisation have personally witnessed this when he has loaded his car with grocery packs and distributed these to needy families. Whilst others of us would be enjoying our weekend relaxing in leisure Prof Reddy would be out visiting the poor, taking much appreciated supplies for them but most importantly sharing his love and compassion.
Professor Reddy has played a crucial role in the management and development of the Sathya Sai Service Organisation of Fiji (SSSO). For the past 3 decades he has been recognized as one of the stalwarts of the Organisation. He is currently the Chairman of the Trustees, Chairman of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education. He was one of the key members responsible for establishing the Sathya Sai School in Drasa in 2000. This model school in a multi-racial school grounded in a belief that all human beings are to be treated with love, dignity and compassion based on the universal spiritual values of love, truth, right conduct, non-violence and peace. Under Prof Reddy’s leadership the SSSO has worked towards helping build harmony, tolerance and peace in Fiji.
Professor Reddy also served as the Chairman of the Academic and Staff Board of the Sangam School of Nursing, Labasa from 2008 to 2012. It was during his leadership that the nursing qualification was successfully externally reviewed and subsequently developed and upgraded to a full bachelor level degree programme.
Dr Reddy has also contributed to country’s education development by being the Fiji representative of the Education First Trust of New Zealand. This NGO among other things distributes dictionaries to class fives students. The Dictionary in Schools in Fiji has been a huge success with completion of 2018 distribution Education First has distributed 3765 dictionaries covering 198 schools over 4-year period. This project distributes dictionaries to poor, small, rural and isolated schools in the country. Dr Reddy has been an integral part of this success story. The feedback from School Head Teachers and Senior Education Officers have been overwhelming positive and Education First Trust own review of the project confirms that the project is making a difference in improving literacy in the schools.
In summary Professor Reddy was nominated for a Fiji Honour for the following reasons:
Professor Narendra Reddy was nominated for a National honour as he has a distinguished record of service in Fiji to academia, the sugar industry and social service. He was born to a humble family in Kavanagasau, Nadroga, and after his education (primary at Mulomulo Primary School in Nadi, Kavanagasau Sanatan Dharm School in Sigatoka and secondary at Natabua High School in Lautoka) began work with the South Pacific Sugar Mills Limited and later with the Fiji Sugar Corporation Limited as a management staff.
His diligence and commitment to work was recognized and he proceeded to undertake university studies at the University of the South Pacific where he completed his bachelor degree in management and economics. He gained additional academic qualifications including an MBA from the University of New South Wales, Australia and a PhD from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His academic credentials were recognized and he joined the University of The South Pacific in 1984 as a lecturer in management and at the time of his departure from USP he held the position of Associate Professor and Head of the School of Management and Public Administration. He subsequently joined The University of Fiji where he served as Professor of Business/Director of the MBA Programme, Dean of the School of Business and Economics and Acting Vice-Chancellor. He left academia in May 2019.
During his academic career and consulting work he has represented Fiji at several international conferences and meetings in his discipline with sabbatical/research work in USA, Denmark, New Zealand and Finland. He is an active member and fellow of the Pan Pacific Business Association.
Professor Reddy carried out a major consultancy in Philippines as part of Asian Productivity Organisation’s Technical Expert Services (TES) project to the Development Academy of the Philippines. This consultancy led to the development and delivery of a training programme entitled "Harnessing Corporate Culture for Productivity" for senior managers in the Philippines.
Professor Reddy has remained true to his humble background and has served to alleviate poverty and hardship amongst those most vulnerable. All through his working life he has showered his generosity often anonymously on those most in need. In more recent times we in the Sai Organisation have personally witnessed this when he has loaded his car with grocery packs and distributed these to needy families. Whilst others of us would be enjoying our weekend relaxing in leisure Prof Reddy would be out visiting the poor, taking much appreciated supplies for them but most importantly sharing his love and compassion.
Professor Reddy has played a crucial role in the management and development of the Sathya Sai Service Organisation of Fiji (SSSO). For the past 3 decades he has been recognized as one of the stalwarts of the Organisation. He is currently the Chairman of the Trustees, Chairman of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education. He was one of the key members responsible for establishing the Sathya Sai School in Drasa in 2000. This model school in a multi-racial school grounded in a belief that all human beings are to be treated with love, dignity and compassion based on the universal spiritual values of love, truth, right conduct, non-violence and peace. Under Prof Reddy’s leadership the SSSO has worked towards helping build harmony, tolerance and peace in Fiji.
Professor Reddy also served as the Chairman of the Academic and Staff Board of the Sangam School of Nursing, Labasa from 2008 to 2012. It was during his leadership that the nursing qualification was successfully externally reviewed and subsequently developed and upgraded to a full bachelor level degree programme.
Dr Reddy has also contributed to country’s education development by being the Fiji representative of the Education First Trust of New Zealand. This NGO among other things distributes dictionaries to class fives students. The Dictionary in Schools in Fiji has been a huge success with completion of 2018 distribution Education First has distributed 3765 dictionaries covering 198 schools over 4-year period. This project distributes dictionaries to poor, small, rural and isolated schools in the country. Dr Reddy has been an integral part of this success story. The feedback from School Head Teachers and Senior Education Officers have been overwhelming positive and Education First Trust own review of the project confirms that the project is making a difference in improving literacy in the schools.
In summary Professor Reddy was nominated for a Fiji Honour for the following reasons:
- He is an outstanding example for all young Fijians to emulate.
- He has worked hard all his life, working diligently, conscientiously and unstintingly to improve himself and those around him.
- He has been an outstanding example of generosity, compassion and inclusiveness in a time when many in Fiji have been pre occupied with their own needs.
- He has served civil society organisations with his time, expertise and resources to encourage others to become responsible citizens.
- A man born in humble circumstances rising to the highest academic position of Acting Vice-Chancellor to a university yet maintaining his commitment to poverty alleviation, social equity, religious tolerance and human values to help build a better Fiji.
Professor Subramani
Prof Subramani is a distinguished educationist, writer and literary scholar. He has contributed significantly to the people of Fiji through his writings, speeches and consultancies. His literary legacy includes several books in English and Hindi. However, his most important contribution is the inspiration he has provided to many to excel academically inspite of their socio economic challenges.
Prof Subramani is a distinguished educationist, writer and literary scholar. He has contributed significantly to the people of Fiji through his writings, speeches and consultancies. His literary legacy includes several books in English and Hindi. However, his most important contribution is the inspiration he has provided to many to excel academically inspite of their socio economic challenges.
Professor Raman Subramani
He has written a text on Human Values Education on behalf of the Institute of Human Values of the Sathya Sai Service Organisation of Fiji. This book has been used widely in high schools. He has also authored a play on Sai Baba entitled “A Play Of Many Parts”. He has been a visiting professor at the Sathya Sai Institute of higher Learning in Puttaparti
His humble background did not prevent him from becoming dux of Labasa College in 1961. He subsequently trained as a teacher in New Zealand and returned to Fiji teaching at various high schools. His former students remember being inspired by him to read and enjoy literature. He won scholarships to complete his Masters in Canada and then obtained his PhD from USP. He also has been a Fulbright Scholar to Johns Hopkins and a post doctoral fellow in the UK.
Prof Subramani has taught several generations to appreciate language and write. He has run writing workshops in many countries and has encouraged novices to contribute to literature by writing short stories, biographies and contemplative pieces. He has written widely in English but latterly has written 2 books in Hindi. He has also encouraged young iTaukei writers to explore their own culture and language. He has edited literary journals and promoted literacy in the wider community.
Prof Subramani served in the Prime minister’s Advisory Council in 2002-2003, and served on the Fiji islands Education Committee. He was invited to present a paper on ‘Civic Society’ by the Fiji Constitutional Review Commission. He has had consultative roles with TISI Sangam on tertiary education and the Fiji Girmit Centre
In addition he has served in various academic and administrative capacities in all 3 universities in Fiji. He rose to be a Pro Vice Chancellor at USP where he also acted as Vice Chancellor. He served in a similar capacity in 2019 at the University of Fiji during a difficult period of transition.
Prof Subramani did not attend the investiture as he was in India receiving recognition for his new novel in Hindi ‘Fiji Ma”. He is currently working as an adjunct Professor at the Sathya Sai institute of Higher Learning in Puttaparti.
In summary Professor Subramani was nominated for a Fiji Honour for the following reasons:
- His outstanding contribution to education in Fiji as a teacher and administrator.
- His inspiration to novice writers.
- His encouragement for writers to express their literary talents in the vernacular both iTaukei and Hindi.
- His advocacy for Human values in higher education.
- His contributions as a writer in both English and Hindi.
- His writings bring kudos to Fiji.