Former Fiji leader of the opposition, judge and political trailblazer Jai Ram Reddy has died.
Reddy, 85, passed away in Auckland on Monday night.
He was born in Lautoka in 1937 and had a long and illustrious career as a lawyer, politician, and judge.
Reddy established a reputation as a staunch advocate for equity, social justice, and racial equality in Fiji.
Photo: Helen Nalina Reddy
He was appointed as the Attorney-General and Justice Minister of Fiji in 1987, when Fiji's first coup took place.
He served twice as leader of the opposition in parliament, first from 1977 to 1983 and a second time from 1992 to 1999.
Following his time in politics, Reddy served as the president of the Fiji Court of Appeal in the early 2000s.
In 2003, he was selected by the UN General Assembly as a member of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
He finished serving as an international judge in 2008.
His daughter, Helen Nalina Reddy, in a tribute to her father, said those who knew him intimately will recall his reverence for the prose of William Shakespeare and his uncanny ability to recite Shakespearean sonnets and soliloquies - even when his Alzheimer's was quite advanced.
"As a young, idealistic student, he developed an interest in philosophy and his outlook and perspectives were shaped by both Eastern and Western writers and intellectuals. Possessing a dry, acerbic wit, he enjoyed satire and comedy - particularly the British variety - and was an ardent fan of all things involving Monty Python and other comics of that tradition. He also liked old Hindi songs but loved Ghazals the most," she wrote.
"I am conscious that many of those who will read this piece is, like me, the descendants of indentured labourers "Girmitiyas" who were brought from India to Fiji during colonial rule. Like many of their generation, my grandparents, Pethi and Yenkatamma Reddy were farming folk who wanted a better future for their children. They worked in the field and saved with a view to sending their eldest son, Jai Ram, to study law in New Zealand. Their dreams were realised, and my father was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1960.
"I never did have the opportunity to observe my father in the courtroom, but I have heard and read much about his formidable advocacy skills and forensic legal mind. His areas of practice were broad, but he was particularly invested in criminal law and practice. I understand he could be a pit bull in the courtroom and had an unwavering commitment to his clients. Rest in Peace my dear Father. Helen Nalina Reddy."
NFP says Reddy was a man with a "vision for the next generation".
Reddy served as National Federation Party leader twice between 1977 and 1999 and was Fiji's longest-serving opposition leader, before embarking on a career as a judge.
"Justice Reddy was a man of his times, but also one who understood and influenced history," NFP leader Biman Prasad said.
"He understood the importance of deep understanding and co-operation between Fiji's two main ethnic communities. He fought hard for his NFP constituents - farmers, workers and the Indo-Fijian community - but always with an eye on the future," he said.
"Justice Reddy understood that the security of Indo-Fijians lay in a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Fiji's indigenous people. He worked all his political career to pursue it, often in times of deep division and misunderstanding."
"He had a vision for the next generation, not for the next election."
According to Prasad, the Fijian political giant was committed to democracy, the rule of law, and the politics of dialogue and cooperation.
"Because of his leadership NFP moved with the times, to become a party with a national outlook, increasing its representation in the iTaukei community and its advocacy of issues important to all of Fiji's people."
Reddy's life, Prasad said, is a reminder of what politics and leadership in Fiji should be.
"We in the NFP are committed to the vision he stood for and to bring back the values he always fought for. We want his work and sacrifice for others to be meaningful and to bear fruit in a new generation of leadership."
