The Indians who were brought through the indentured system 131 years ago have greatly contributed towards the development of Fiji in many ways.
The Fiji Girmit Council Vice President, Dijendra Singh said Fiji in comparison with other Pacific Island countries has progressed greatly in many areas and this has come through the hard work put in by the indentured laborers and their children.
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Singh added the indentured laborers had put a lot of attention on education and that is the reason why their children have done wonders in numerous fields.
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Meanwhile, Fijivillage News spoke to 84 year old Narayan Dei of Labasa whose father worked as an indentured laborer.
She was born after 1916 when the British government officially abolished the Indenture system.
She heard stories from her grandmother about the Girmitiyas and how their forefathers were treated who worked in the cane fields.
Dei said her grandmother looked after her eleven brothers and sisters after her mother passed away.
On 14 May 1879, the "Leonidas", the ship with the first indentured laborers from India, arrived in Fiji and between 1879 and 1916 some 60,537 Indians arrived in Fiji as indentured laborers.
