Hari Punja Explained

Hari Punja, OF, OBE (born 1936) is an Indo-Fijian 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]

Hari Punja was born in Fiji and received his education in Fiji and Australia. He trained as a chemical engineer. Punja joined the business in 1960. He has served as a mayor of Lautoka and on a number of prestigious boards such as Fiji Broadcasting Commission and Fiji Sugar Corporation. He served as a Senator from 1996 to 1999.

Following the passage of the Media Industry Development Decree 2010 by the military regime, Punja resigned from the board of Fiji Television^[2] and sold his stake in radio company Communications Fiji Limited.^[3]

Honors

Punja has been bestowed with many credentials and honors. Some of these include:

• Order of the British Empire (OBE)^[4]
• 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)
• Punja was rated the 6th most influential person in the Pacific region through a poll carried out by the Australian-based Pacific Magazine.

Notes and References

1. News: Be rich to help poor: Punja. 2010-07-20. January 25, 2007. Fiji Times.
2. Web site: Punja resigns to observe media decree . Fiji Sun . 8 December 2011 . 22 February 2023.
3. Web site: Punja sells radio company shares . Fiji Sun . 6 January 2012 . 22 February 2023.
4. Book: Twentieth century Fiji. Stewart Firth, Daryl Tarte, University of the South Pacific. USP Solutions, University of the South Pacific. 2001. 198. 2010-07-21.