Hari Punja
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Mr. Hari Punja (born 1936) is a businessman and Chairman of Hari Punja Group of Companies. Hari Punja and Sons Limited is a very diversified (and probably the largest) company in Fiji.[1]
[edit] Biography
Mr. Hari Punja was born in Cuvu, Sigatoka, Fiji and received his education in Fiji and Australia. He is a chemical engineer. Mr. Hari Punja joined the business in 1960. He has served as a mayor of Lautoka[2] and on a number of prestigious boards such as Fiji Broadcasting Commission and Fiji Sugar Corporation.[2] He was elected Senator in 1996[2] for 5 years. Thakor Punja is his grandson. Thakor is currently schooling at International school Nadi in Fiji.
Mr. Punja has been married to Tara for about fifty years and has five children: Rohit, Ajai, Sanjay, Deepa, Leena.
[edit] Honors
Mr. Punja has been bestowed with many credentials and honors. Some of these include:
- Order of the British Empire (OBE)[2] bestowed by Queen Elizabeth the Second
- Justice of the Peace (JP)
- Order of Fiji: Bestowed by the President of Fiji, Ratu Sir Kaisese Mara
- The Fiji National Millennium Committee recognized Hari Punja as an outstanding contributor in shaping the nation of Fiji during the 20th Century
- He was named as one of the 10 most successful businessmen living outside India in "The Encyclopedia of the Indian Diaspora" (2006) by Professor Dr. Brij Lal (Australian National University)
- Mr. Punja was rated the 6th most influential person in the Pacific region through a poll carried out by the Australian based Pacific Magazine.
[edit] References
- ^ "Be rich to help poor: Punja". Fiji Times. January 25, 2007. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=55844. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
- ^ a b c d Stewart Firth, Daryl Tarte, University of the South Pacific (2001). Twentieth century Fiji. USP Solutions, University of the South Pacific. p. 198. http://books.google.com/books?ei=UaJGTNGBN43msQOc3oDcAg&ct=result&id=qFNzAAAAMAAJ&dq=order+british++%22hari+punja%22&q=order+british++#search_anchor. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
