Latest: Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will officially open the centennial celebrations of TISI Sangam Fiji at King Charles Park in Nadi on April 1, 2024, with the opening ceremony set to begin at 10.15am. The national president of the organisation, Parveen Bala, said the Prime Minister will act as chief guest and will take part in a traditional welcome before lighting the Centennial cauldron — a symbolic moment that will follow the passing of a Centennial flame through the ranks of Sangam members.
The centennial convention runs from April 1 to April 6 and is expected to draw thousands of people of South Indian origin from across Fiji and overseas, Mr Bala said, describing the week as likely the largest gathering of Fiji’s South Indian community in the nation’s history. Delegates, families and diaspora visitors will come together for cultural performances, speeches and commemorative events planned across the six days.
TISI Sangam traces its roots to 1926, when Sadhu Kuppuswamy and descendants of early girmitiya labourers founded the organisation on the banks of the Nadi River. The centenary theme, “Our Legacy, Our Future”, was chosen to honour that history while emphasising the role of younger generations and women in shaping the organisation’s next century, Bala said. He highlighted strong youth and women’s participation as a focal point of the week’s programming.
Bala also underscored Sangam’s broader contribution to education and nation-building in Fiji. The organisation now manages dozens of schools and institutions that collectively serve more than 10,000 students of all backgrounds, he said, noting the centennial as both a cultural milestone and a celebration of sustained community service. “This is a celebration of 100 years of service, unity and nation-building,” Bala said.
The opening ceremony’s placement at King Charles Park situates the high-profile start of the convention within one of Nadi’s key civic spaces, providing room for the large crowds organisers anticipate. While details of the full schedule have been outlined by Sangam leadership, Mr Bala said the flame-lighting will be a central symbolic act intended to link the founders’ legacy with present-day Sangam members and international guests.
As the organisation marks a century since its founding by the pioneering Sadhu Kuppuswamy and other early leaders, the centennial convention aims to showcase South Indian cultural heritage while reinforcing Sangam’s continued investment in education and social cohesion. The April 1 opening by the Prime Minister is the latest development in preparations for what organisers promise will be a landmark week for Fiji’s South Indian community.
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