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Moti Tikaram

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Sir Moti Tikaram, KBE, CF
Born(1925-03-18)18 March 1925[1]
Lami, Colony of Fiji, British Empire
Died17 May 2012(2012-05-17) (aged 87)
Suva, Fiji
EducationL.L.B.
Occupation(s)Judge, ombudsman
Children3

Sir Moti Tikaram, KBE, CF (18 March 1925 – 17 May 2012) was an Indo-Fijian judge, civil servant, and football administrator. He was the first Fijian appointed to be a magistrate, and the first appointed as a judge of the High Court of Fiji. From 1972 to 1987 he was Fiji's first ombudsman. He later served as President of the Fiji Court of Appeal.

Early life

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Tikaram was born in Lami near Suva, and was educated at Samabula Government Indian School, Suva Methodist Primary School, and Marist Brothers High School.[2] He studied journalism at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, but switched to law after two years,[2] completing his studies at Victoria University of Wellington and graduating in 1954.[3] He was admitted to the bar in New Zealand in 1954,[4] and in Fiji in 1955.[5] He worked as a lawyer for several years, and successfully defended Tongan MP Samisoni Puliuvea Afuha'amango against a charge of sedition.[2][6]

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He was appointed a stipendary magistrate in 1959. Following a riot at the Suva gaol in 1963, he was appointed to lead the resulting inquiry, and his recommendations formed the basis of a new prisons law.[7][8] In April 1969 he became the first Fijian-born person to be appointed a judge.[7] Following the retirement of Clifford Hammett, he served as acting Chief Justice of Fiji until replaced by John Nimmo.[9]

In 1972, he was appointed Fiji's first Ombudsman.[3][10] He served in the role until the 1987 Fijian coups d'état, when he retired;[11] at the time of his retirement, he was the longest serving national ombudsman in the world.[2] He was a member of the International Commission of Jurists from 1984 to 1989.[12]

After Fiji became a republic in 1987, he was re-appointed a judge and served for many years as the President of the Fiji Court of Appeal.[13]

Following his death in 2012 the University of Fiji established an annual Sir Moti Tikaram Memorial Lecture in his honour.[14][15]

Football administrator

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Tikaram was the President of the Fiji Football Association from 1959 to 1960, and was credited with making the Association multi-racial and initiating moves to have its name changed from Fiji Indian Football Association.[16]

Awards

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Family

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He was the great uncle of actor Ramon Tikaram and singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram.

References

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  1. ^ The Far East and Australasia 1981-82. 1981. ISBN 9780905118666.
  2. ^ a b c d e Karan, Maneesha (14 February 2007). "Sir Moti relives early days". Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  3. ^ a b "Fiji's Ombudsman". The Press. 3 March 1972. p. 8. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via Papers Past.
  4. ^ "Personal Items". The Press. 9 April 1954. p. 10. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via Papers Past.
  5. ^ "News of the Small-Ships". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. XXV, no. 7. 1 February 1955. p. 117. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Tongan M.P. Acquitted On Sedition Charge". The Press. 13 June 1957. p. 11. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via Papers Past.
  7. ^ a b "People". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 40, no. 6. 1 June 1969. p. 105. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Behind Fiji's Prison Troubles". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 36, no. 4. 1 April 1965. p. 59. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Judge lands in Suva". Canberra Times. 7 February 1972. p. 7. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Taking scissors to red tape". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 43, no. 4. 1 April 1972. p. 43. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Rabuka appoints ombudsman". Canberra Times. 26 November 1987. p. 5. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "International Commission of Jurists". Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  13. ^ SAKIASI NAWAIKAMA (16 July 2009). "A distinguished path". Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  14. ^ "A True Son Of Fiji, Sir Moti Tikaram". Fiji Sun. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Sir Moti Tikaram Memorial Lecture". University of Fiji. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  16. ^ "How it started". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  17. ^ "No. 48046". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1979. p. 35.
  18. ^ "Sir Moti honoured in India". Retrieved 2009-01-31.
  19. ^ "Retired Fiji Supreme Court Judge given a prestigious award in India". RNZ. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
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