D.A.V. COLLEGE BA – A STANDING EPITOME OF VISION, SACRIFICE, EDUCATION, LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

Thakur Ranjit Singh

The third international D.A.V. College, Ba, Fiji reunion scheduled for 19 -20 July 2019 in Ba is a living example of what the above headline depicts above. For a low-decile school from a rural dusty, rustic Varadoli, Ba, Fiji to organise a third continuing Reunion is a marvelous achievement. And they are looking forward for a fourth one. This indeed is a proof of high-standard of education these rural simpletons got from their temple of education at DAV Ba.

Sadasivan and Sarita Naicker in dancing mood in a family function. Sada is the President of DAV Ba Reunion 2019 organizing committee. Sada and Sarita would also be inducted in the DAV Lovers Hall of Fame.

The first biennial (every two-years) one was in Burnaby, Vancouver in 2015, the second one was in Auckland in 2017, this third one is in Ba in 2019 and the fourth one is under plan for Brisbane in 2021. Perhaps the fifth one in 2023 will go back to Vancouver, or perhaps Sacramento. Well done DAVians - your organising ability is a living proof of a well-grounded education you got at DAV.
Aims of DAV reunions are:

• To honour and pay tributes to our Girmitiyas in general, and Arya Samaj in
        particular for the sterling work they have done in furthering education.

• To pay tribute to departed mates and honour the teachers.

• To establish everlasting friendship bound by those entering the gates of 
        DAV.

• To meet, greet, socialise and network with those whose contacts have 
        been lost through tides of time. 

• And most importantly, to have fun together - and build up fond memories.

We bow our heads with respect for our very visionary Girmitiyas who invested in education for their future generation - and we are the fruits of their hard labour which sections of Fijian society does not appear to appreciate.

Another two couples who will be inducted in DAV Lovers Hall of Fame - the Singhs. From left: Surya Deep and Hem Lata Singh, Shashi Kala and Thakur Ranjit Singh at Auckland Reunion on 13 May, 2017.

The colonial government wanted all descendants of Girmitiyas to be uneducated so they would provide them cheap labour. Hence they never provided any educational facilities. Our visionary forebears beat the Sahebs. The Girmitiyas were ordinary people who did extraordinary things in extraordinary environment. And this was one, where Arya Samaj, Sangam, Sanatan, Muslim, Khalsa and all other communities invested in education.

We salute the visionary elders of Arya Samaj who have provided us DAV and this very auspicious historical occasion of third Reunion. Indeed, historical because in its 65 year history, this is the first DAV Ba reunion held in our school and in Fiji. 

Former students will descend on the school on Friday 19 July to raise the school flag, participate in prayers, network, share lunch with management, staff and students, establish a Vatika or Botanical section, plant trees –and most importantly, walk down the memory lane-where we found education, friendship, and for some, life partners.

DAV would always be proud of its class of 1970s which produced very outstanding results, outstanding leaders and those visionary school-mates who revived the epic love of Krishn-Sudama, in the form of DAV Reunions. This is reflected in greater detail in the 2019 DAV Reunion Magazine.

I especially pay tribute to two schoolmates who started the thought of reunion but are no longer with us - Bimal Chand Maharaj of Stockton and Deo Mani of Sacramento, California, USA. And Raymond Raj (Ramendra Singh), Sant Sharma (Sant Lal), (Paul) Latchman Rao and Kushwa Kant Singh of Canada, (Thakur) Ranjit Singh of Auckland, New Zealand and Sadasivan Naicker of Fiji, among others.

Raymond (Ramendra) Raj, raising Fiji flag in Kitimat, BC, Canada. After dropping off from primary school, he harvested cane for 4 years until Mahendra Pratap, the then Principal in D.A.V, provided him opportunity to start school at age of 20. In 1970, he passed Fiji Junior and went on to his career as automotive mechanic and migrated to Canada. 

Lower decile (low economic standing of parents) schools like DAV took ‘rejected’ students of poor rural cane-farmers and labourers to give them an opportunity of education. They even gave this opportunity to my 20-year old brother who joined DAV after absconding primary school and harvesting cane for 4 years. Yes, Ramendra Singh (Raymond Raj) is an epic story of a drop-out whom DAV gave an opportunity. And now he is flying Fiji flag in Kitimat British Columbia, Canada-over 10,000km away from the temple of education that built his future.
And schools like DAV did this for others as well. Anybody can take creamy milk and make butter out of it. But schools like DAV took maatha (butter-milk) and at times phata doodh (sour-milk) and made them into butter.

Two former students of DAV, Ba. Rajendra Prasad, (left), student of 1960s,and author of two excellent books on  Fiji's Girmit History, Tears in Paradise and Enslaved in Paradise. On the right is the first batch of students from 1954, Vinod Patel, Managing Director of Vinod Patel Ltd. Here they are posing in from of plaque at Fiji Girmit Center in Lautoka, commemorating 125th Anniversary of Girmit., 

We have many examples of those “butter” and exemplary leaders from DAV. Some are renowned Ba businessman, Vinod Patel, music maestro Anandilal Amin, veteran teacher, Master Sant Ram, former Ministers, Pratap Chand and Gaffar Ahmed, current Minister, Pravin Kumar Bala, author of ‘Tears in Paradise” and “Enslaved in Paradise”, Rajendra Prasad, soccer ace of Ba and Fiji, Josetaki Kurivutu and Tarun Bala, Community leader flying Fiji flag in Canada, Raymond Raj and of course the outstanding and exemplary leader of DAV Reunion in Ba, and National President of TISI, Sadasivan Naicker. The list is not exhaustive, as there are many more, but these are the ones that came to the memory of this ageing FIJI PUNDIT journalist. You make all of us and DAV proud.

Two books authored by Rajendra Prasad, former student of DAV Ba in 1960, Rajendra Prasad.

Apart from granting us an education base that helped us earn a living, the school also taught us how to live. It also gave us numerous friends. 

But most importantly, for the three key people running this reunion, it gave more than education and friendship - it gave them love and life partners. And they have been happily married with children and grandchildren for some forty years. That is another achievement of DAV – providing successful school love-stories that become a lifelong partnership-and marriage. And this reunion will formally induct them in DAV Lovers Hall of Fame. Sadasivan and Sarita Naicker, Surya Deep and Hem Lata Singh, and of course yours truly, Thakur Ranjit and Shashi Kala Singh will be recognized and inducted in Lovers Hall of Fame. Some other DAV love birds nested in successful marriages will also be recognized on the night if they are present.

Pratap Chand, former DAV Student of 1960s, and former Minister of Education, and author of the book A Fijian Memoir

So, those who are coming, together we will have fun for two days. God Bless DAV and all our mates who are spread in various corners of this world. And deep hearty Naman (salutation) to those who have passed away. God Bless all the others, including teachers and management. And may the school prosper for many more years to come. 

And when we are gone, and our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren read stories of our reunion, they need to realise that we at DAV in 1970s were what we say………………………….hum kisi se kum nahi…. (We are no lesser than others)

We have left a legacy that the new generation can be proud of, and hope the seed we planted of the first DAV Reunion in 2015 continues in perpetuity. 

The theme of 2017 Reunion in Auckland was: Suno, Jiyo, Muskurao, Khush Raho – Kya Pata, Kal Ho Na Ho! (Listen, live, smile, be happy, as there may be no tomorrow)

In a similar tradition, the theme for 2019 D.A.V. Reunion is:

Yeh Zindgi Na Milegi Dobara (You don’t live twice)

Indeed, make most of it, as you live only once. 

Welcome to our hometown, the legendary Ba.

Let the fun begin – because, kya pata, kal hon na ho and yeh zindgi na milegi dobara.

The author of this article, and former student of DAV in 1970s, Thakur Ranjit Singh, with his former DAV student wife, Shashi Kala Singh. They will also be inducted in DAV Lovers Hall of Fame.  They met in school in 1973, got married in 1979 and have been married for just over 40 years.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is from class of 1970s at DAV College, Ba, Fiji - 1970-1973. He is a journalist, media commentator and runs his blog FIJI PUNDIT. Greater historical details are in DAV Reunion magazine available free to all attending. Thakur lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife, Shashi Kala Singh, another former student of DAV]