Kumar Returns to Help Employ Fijians
Areturning former citizen who left the country in 1987 has opened what is the start of a planned chain of restaurants and supermarkets in the country.
Kamlesh Kumar opened the first Taste of Sydney Restaurant at Namoli Avenue in Lautoka and will open Sugra Sydney’s Supermarket, beside the restaurant, on January 10.
The name Sugra was inspired from his 80-year-old mother’s name,
Sugra Wati.
With the aim of providing Fijians with more employment opportunities, Mr Kumar opened his restaurant on New Year’s Eve employing 20 locals.
He has invested about more than $500,000 in setting up business here.
Why return to Fiji?
Mr Kumar spent 34 years in Blacktown, Sydney, Australia, working for insurance companies there.
He returned recently to visit his 80-year-old mother Sugra Wati and to oversee his family’s 15-acre sugarcane farm in Navo, Nadi.
“I had four brothers but three brothers have passed away,” he said.
“I’m the youngest. I went to Australia and started schooling at the public school and then I went to university.
“Then I came back to Fiji working on the family farm,” he said
“When my father passed away, my mother did housegirl jobs then sent me back to Australia.
“She worked really hard to send me back and she said ‘don’t come back’.
“But I love my Fiji and my family remained.
“When I arrived again in Fiji I couldn’t help but feel emotional.”
And that is when he decided that he’d make his mark here.
The supermarket he says will employ between 25-30 people and operate from 7am to 11pm.
He aims to open more chains in Nadi, Tavua, Suva, Rakiraki and eyeing the North also.
Mr Kumar is currently working towards getting dual citizenship.