Damodran Nair

Last updated
Damodran Nair
Member of House of Representatives (Fiji)
Tavua Open Constituency
In office
2004–2006
Preceded byPravin Singh
Succeeded byvacant
Personal details
Political partyFiji Labour Party

Damodran Nair is a former Fijian politician of Indian descent, who held the Tavua Open Constituency in the House of Representatives for the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) [1] [2] in a by-election on 17 January 2004 following the death of the incumbent, Pravin Singh, in an automobile accident in late 2003. Nair was re-elected in the May 2006 parliamentary election. [3] His parliamentary career was ended by the military coup of 5 December 2006.

In January 2009, Nair appealed for help for people from the district of Tavua affected by severe flooding. [4]

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References

  1. Parliament of Fiji Archived 2010-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Labour in a Landslide Victory Archived 2011-02-19 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Psephos election guide
  4. Nair pleads for assistance