The late Jai Ram Reddy was a man of his times, but also one who understood and influenced history.

The National Federation Party (NFP), in a statement, stated that Mr Reddy was the acknowledged leader of Fiji’s Indo-Fijian community during its most difficult and challenging period after Independence.

Mr Reddy was 85 years old when he died on Monday.

“It is with deep sorrow that we have learned of the death in Auckland last night of Justice Jai Ram Reddy, who twice led the National Federation Party between 1977 and 1999 and served as Fiji’s longest-serving Leader of the Opposition,” said the statement.

“Justice Reddy understood that the security of Indo-Fijians lay in a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Fiji’s indigenous people.”

“He worked all his political career to pursue it, often in times of deep division and misunderstanding.”

NFP stated that Mr Reddy’s life was a reminder of what politics and leadership in Fiji should be.

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