Chandra Prakash Bidesi
Chandra Prakash Bidesi | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Senate | |
| In office 1976–1982 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 November 1922 Suva, Fiji |
| Died | 12 May 1988 (aged 65) Suva, Fiji |
Chandra Prakash Bidesi OBE (22 November 1922 – 12 May 1988) was an Indo-Fijian businessman and politician. He served as a member of the Senate from 1976 to 1982.
Biography
[edit]Bidesi was born in the Muanivatu area of Suva in November 1922 and was educated at Muanivatu Indian School and St Columbas Claudius Memorial School.[1] He married and had six children.[1]
He was elected to Suva City Council in 1952. Although he lost his seat in 1954, he regained it in 1956 and remained a councillor until 1976.[2][1] He served as president of the Fiji Industrial Workers' Congress from 1957 to 1959 and then as vice-president from 1960 to 1962, and was also president of the Fiji Taxi Union for six years.[1] He contested the Southern Indo-Fijian seat in the 1963 general elections, but finished fourth out of five candidates.
After the National Federation Party was created in the late 1960s, Bidesi became a member. He served as Deputy Mayor of Suva from 1967 to 1968,[3] and was a candidate in the mayoral election in 1974, but was defeated by Navin Maharaj.[4] In 1976 he was appointed to the Senate as one of the nominees of the Leader of the Opposition Sidiq Koya, becoming leader of the NFP group.[1] He remained in the Senate until 1982. He was awarded an OBE in the 1984 New Year Honours.
He died in the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva in May 1988.[3]