On August 11, 1978, The Fiji Times published an article about a man who was reported at that time to be the oldest survivor of the girmit indentured labourers who came to Fiji in 1908.
Mohammed Kasim, of Coqeloa settlement in Labasa, was 108 years old at the time of publication with eight children and 43 grandchildren.
The article said he was too weak to move around and spent most of his time in bed.
However, he pleasantly welcomed the president of the Fiji Girmit Association, Hariguyan Samalia, who was organising the national celebrations for the following year to mark the 100th anniversary of Indians coming to Fiji on contract to work in the sugar cane fields and other industries.
While Mr Kasim was not part of the first group which arrived in 1879, he was nevertheless proud of his girmit background, and he was thankful to still be around considering his age. He was born in Purab, Bilau in Lucknow, India in 1870.
Upon arrival here, he worked for the Vancouver/ Sugar Mill in Navua for about five years.
When his contract ended, he chose to settle and live in Fiji and subsequently worked for more than 20 years at the Colonial Sugar Refining Company as a labourer.
After retiring, he sold ice cream for a few years before deciding to start farming his land.
According to the Fiji Girmit Association, about $1000 was used to prepare for the centennial celebrations in 1979.
The article said the Great Council of Chiefs with the British and Indian governments agreed to give trophies for a sports tournament to mark the occasion.
The association also requested for Ratu Sir Kamisese, who was prime minister at that time, to officiate at the celebration, which was scheduled to take place from May 12 to May 15.
The article said the Fiji Girmit Association also asked the minister for labour to mark May 14 as a public holiday.
