Seychelles Indian Association Diaspora Day 2018 |15 January 2018
Five prominent Indian business persons honoured
Five prominent persons of Indian origin who contributed greatly to the Seychelles community and development of the country, were honoured last Wednesday at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay, during the Seychelles Indian Diaspora Day for this year.
The day is commemorated to remember Indians who served two great nations as one and this year the event coincided with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
The local Indian community celebrates the Indian Diaspora Day on January 9, an occasion which is also known as the non-resident Indian Day or the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa on January 9, 1915 and also the contribution of the Indian Diaspora in the development of India and of the whole world.
The ceremony was attended by Vice-President Vincent Meriton; government ministers; Indian high Commissioner to Seychelles, Ausaf Sayeed; members of the Indian Association of Seychelles and friends of India. Guest speaker was Sumitra Mahajan, Indian Government Lok Sabha Speaker, who was in Seychelles for the 24th Conference of Speakers & Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) held last week at the Savoy Resort & Spa, Beau Vallon.
Business & Economy today presents you the profiles of these prominent business persons.
C R Sinnasamy Chetty (1922-1994): Upon arrival in Seychelles in 1940 at the age of 18, Sinsammy started working with his uncle at Port Glaud, then for Jivan. From there he returned to India only to come back six months later to start his own business. Although he was well known for his ‘sanmousa’ and ‘gato piman’, most of us also know him for the great photographer he was. He pioneered the photography business in Seychelles. His photo studio, the first ever in Seychelles, a lemonade-making machine and bakery, were situated at the current Indian high commission building at Le Chantier road. ‘Tinsammy’, as he was well-known among the locals, married Mona Adrienne, a Seychellois who was 15 years old at the time, and they have six children.
Mithubai Jivan Jeetha (1881 - 1942) : Mitubhai Jivan Jeetha was one of the original settlers of Indian origin in Seychelles. He was born in a small village in Kutch In 1895. He left his family to sail for Africa in search of a better life. When the boat stopped at Seychelles, he decided to make his life here. He began with not much more than the shirt on his back, as a labourer, pulling goods from the dock to town on a wooden cart tied to a rope. Once he has saved enough money, he opened a small store selling cigarettes and candy in Victoria, which he later expanded and is still fondly remembered today by the older generation of Seychellois as the Jivan Jeetha Store (now Victoria House). Despite his success, he could never read and write English but he made sure that his children had the best education. His children carried on the Jivan Jeetha store and his grandchildren later also proved to be successful businessmen and professionals in their own right. Jivan Jeetha remains an integral part of the history of Seychelles. Today, his generation is carrying on his legacy.
K. Varadharajulu Naidu (K. V. Naidu) {1900 – 1973}: His Father, Krishnaswamy Naidu, came to Seychelles early 1900 for business. He had 4 sons and 2 daughters. One of his sons, K. Varadharajulu Naidu BA (K.V. Naidu), was the proprietor of SRK Naiken. After his father’s death he took over the business and made it big. They imported goods from London, Singapore and Honk Kong. They were one of the prime agency for Heineken beer and Beehive Brandy. K. V. Naidu married Shyamala Devi in 1946 and had 4 children namely V. Ramakrishnan (eldest son), Mohana Sundaram, Jaya Sundari (only daughter) and Venkatesh. He owned the entire area where the extension of the Victoria Market exists today. He had been consultant to many businesses, enterprises existing today. After he fell ill in 1970, V. Ramakrishna came to Seychelles from Mayavaram, Tamil Nadu, India to take over the family business. He married Kalavathy BSc, from Chennai in 1973. K.V. Naidu passed away in November 1973 and Ramakrishna took over the business completely with his two children Varadharajulu (Vijay) and Lavanya. Vijay studied in Seychelles in his early days and moved to Chennai to pursue schooling and engineering in India. Lavanya stayed in Seychelles and went to India for a brief period for schooling. After Ramakrishnan passed away in 2001, his wife Kalavathy and daughter Lavanya moved to Chennai, India. Kalavathy lives with her son Vijay. Both Vijay and Lavanya are now married and settled in India.
Kalimuthu Padayachy (1880 – 1943): Born on August 16, 1880 at Tharangambadi, India to a farmer’s family, Kalimuthu started his career at the age of 14. He started his journey from Mumbai port from nothing to what he has accomplished. Kalimuthu Padayachy ventured through many countries like Singapore, Japan, South Africa, Mauritius and finally arrived in Seychelles in the year 1897. He started to work on versatile business ideas and established his work from Baie ste Anne, Praslin where he built his very own ship. He started trade successfully to nearby countries by exporting vanilla, coconut-based products and essential commodities like kerosene, groceries, rice, onions etc… He even cultivated vanilla in Praslin. Around 1910 he became the owner of 4 estates in Praslin (Anse La Blague, Cap Samy, Consolation and Baie Ste Anne). He introduced many Indian workers to Seychelles. He and his wife, Thayammal, finally returned to India for their daughter’s marriage in 1942, where he fell sick and died on May 14, 1943.
Burjor Edulji Wadia - (1900-1970): Burjor Eduljee Wadia was born on April 4, 1900 at Bardoli, Gujarat in India. He spent his childhood in Surat where he went to school. His father was a farmer and even at a young age Burjor proved to be hardworking, helping his father tend the farm. He married Pillan Pardiwalla and came to the Seychelles in 1921 at the request of Sorabji Oliaji, founder of Temooljee & Co to work with him in the business. His wife Pillan was the first Parsee woman to arrive in the Seychelles. Together with Burjor, they initially set up home at Le Chantier and later moved to Bel Air where they resided with their four children - Noshir (snr), Jemy, Noshir and Arnavaaz. Burjor was considered to be one of the most astute businessmen in Mahé and was instrumental in building up Temooljee & Co in the early years. He later became partner and took over the management on the illness of the head of the company, Sorabji Oliaji until 1955. Mr Wadia was one of the founder members of the Copra Association and a past director of the Union Lighterage Company (ULC). He also played a leading role in public life, being a member of every committee in office and was at one time the chairman of the Victoria District Council.
After World War 2, he was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his services in the Seychelles. “Bajor” as he was affectionately known in the community, is remembered for being generous, trustworthy, unassuming and hardworking.
Burjor passed away on June 27, 1970 at the age of 70. The Wadia family lives on in the Seychelles through his daughter in law Maharook (wife of belated Jemy) and his two grandchildren – Rustom and Tinaz Wadia.
Compiled by M.J.