Ottawa Pioneer Residents

                                                    (Mr Amrith Dunoo Singh and his wife, Rajpathy)   GREAT-GRAND-FATHER, MR THAKUR SINGH, CAME FROM A VILLAGE IN UTTAR PRADESH IN NORTH INDIA AND WORKED AS AN INDENTURED LABOURER IN ISIPINGO     By Subry Govender   When Mr S S Maharaj, Mr Parthab Mungal, Mr Sivasanker Badlu and other concerned leaders initiated the building of the new Jhugroo Givernment-Aided Primary School in the area known as Tin Town in the Ottawa village, one of the residents who joined the group was Mr Amrith “Dunoo” Singh. Mr Singh, who lived with his family in School Road, settled in Ottawa in the 1930s. He was a specialist plumber. I spoke to one of his sons, George Singh, about their family history just over two years ago. George Singh, who is in his mid-70s, now lives in the property in School Road with his family. His younger brother, Johnny, also lives in the property with his family. Mr Dunoo Singh was the grandson of Mr Thakur Singh, wh

                                                                      (Mr Harripersadh Badri Maharaj at his home in Essendene Road in Overport in Durban) (Mr Maharaj - right - in his early years walking in Durban's former West Street with a friend.) By Subry Govender   A second-generation descendant of a pioneer indentured family of Ottawa – north of Durban - who dedicated his life to education, culture and spirituality - has entered the ripe-old age of 100. Mr Harripersadh Badri Maharaj, who was born  on February 2 1925  in what is now Kissoon Road in the former sugar cane village, now lives in his family home in Essendene Road in Overport in Durban. (Mr Maharaj seen here with his son, Naresh, 69. Naresh assisted this correspondent in the interview with his dad.) I had the opportunity of talking to Mr Maharaj about his life with the assistance of one of his sons, Naresh, recently on Good Friday, March 29 (2024). Although he has entered his 100 th  year, Mr Maharaj rec