Andrew Deoki

Andrew Indar Narayan Deoki (1917 – 12 June 1985) was an Indo-Fijian statesman who served his community as a social and religious leader, soccer administrator, member of the Legislative Council and Senate in independent Fiji and as Attorney General.

Biography Born in Suva, the son of prominent community leader Nandan Sen Deoki, going on to become a solicitor and barrister, earning admittance to the bar and Supreme Court of New Zealand, Victoria and Queensland. He was also a member of the Methodist Church.

Soccer administration Deoki served two terms as President of the Fiji Indian Football Association, from 1951 to 1953 and from 1955 to 1958. He was responsible for the establishment of the Fiji Secondary Schools Soccer Association which took competitive soccer to high school students. He was the manager of the first Fiji team to tour overseas, managing the 1961 tour of New South Wales. He was one of the first administrators to propose opening up football to all races in Fiji, and despite opposition from some quarters, the word Indian was removed from Fiji soccer’s governing body to form the Fiji Football Association in August 1961. He subsequently became a life member of the Football Association, and was also a president of the Fiji Lawn Tennis Association.