Moti Tikaram

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.

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

Early life

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]

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 as 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

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

Family

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

References
  1. The Far East and Australasia 1981-82. 1981. ISBN 9780905118666.
  2. 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. "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. "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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