The Fiji Sangam Association of Victoria (FSAV) was conceived around mid-1992 in the minds of a small group of ex-Fiji residents in Victoria who had had close association with the Fiji Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam (TISIS) for the last two or 3 generations. The late Mr Subramani Gounder of Melbourne was instrumental in bringing the group together and initiating discussions, thus pioneering FSAV’s formation.

 The group looked upon TISIS as a possible exploratory model for FSAV. Shri Sadhu Kuppuswamy, a social worker from India in Fiji at the time, had pioneered the TISIS as a socio-cultural organization for the advancement of people of South Indian ethnic origin in Fiji. TISIS was established in 1926, about a decade after the end of the Indenture System under which the British Government contracted Indians to work in Fiji as labourers. The story of these Indians in that era is in many respects tragic, and of spectacular success in the face of enormous adversity. For a time, the sense of isolation, despair, and socio-cultural dislocation in a new environment and disillusionment with their new circumstances led to amongst the highest crime rates and suicides amongst Indians anywhere in the world including India at the time.

 The TISIS was in part a response to this situation, and provided a tremendous source of spiritual and social strength, and convergence of purpose to these Indians, who saw themselves, and were seen by other Indian socio-cultural sub­groups, especially in the context of that time in history, as having a separate identify. In particular, they had come to Fiji with a rich culture (including a distinct set of languages) of their own, which in many ways were different from the cultural traditions of their other countrymen who had come from the northern, predominantly Hindi­speaking provinces of what was India then (subsequently partitioned in to India and Pakistan). It is likely that British use of Hindi as the language of communication with all Fiji indentured labourers, among other factors, engendered the feeling of a separate identity amongst these people (to whom Hindi was as good as an unknown foreign language at the time) by fuelling their feeling of insecurity and fear of loss of their cultural identity.

 TISIS has had a magnificent-record, especially in the field of education in Fiji. Men and women who came out of TISIS educational institutions (which are open to all people of Fiji), and whose roots lay in Fiji’s leased farmlands, have provided Fiji with leadership in commerce and politics, and with numerous professionals, e.g. in the fields of science, engineering, management, and education. TISIS has played an important role in cementing strong socio-cultural values in Fiji through education, promotion of sports, Music, etc., and the establishment of places of worship. The members of the group which promoted the idea of a similar organization in Victoria had benefited in one way or another from TISIS.

 When it was established at a meeting of interested people on 20 September 1992 in Footscray that there was widespread support for the concept, an Interim Committee was established to spearhead the formation of the body, and in particular prepare to a draft constitution for presentation to all interested people. While formal affiliation with the TISIS was considered, it was decided that FSAV should be an independent body in its own right, with informal links with TISIS.

The members of the Interim Committee were:

Mr S Goundar (Chairman ­ subsequently retired from position due to ill health),

Mr R Krishna (elected Chairman after Mr Gounder’s retirement),

Mr R Dass,

Mr R Achari,

S Kalliapan,

Mr S Vellu,

Mr S Raju,

Mr Simadri,

Mr T Muttu,

Mr C Seagran,

Mr K Reddy,

Dr S Reddy,

Mr V Aiyappan,

Mr S N Goundar,

Mr B Krishna,

Mr J Palligaru.

The draft constitution, prepared after lengthy dialogue and discussion, was presented to a General Meeting held on 14 February 1993, and was accepted with minor changes. The FSAV constitution was registered as an incorporated body with the Victorian Government on 30 April 1993, which marks the birth of FSAV.