Thakur prabhu

 Born in Bhubasan, bardoli, Surat, Gujrat

 1932 – father – Prabhu kashanji patel who was well educated, territory education helped
congress with their salt march from Bardoli to Dandoli .
 Thakur Prabhu was born 3 months after his father left for New Zealand. Father owned a
fruit and vege shop in onehunga on greenwoods corner and then Empire fruiters, Manukau
road.
 Thakur went to school in Sarbhon till standard 1 and half.
 He was only 8 years old when he came to nz. It was a long trip from Bardoli to Madras,
Madras to Columbo, then via Australia , Freemantle, Adelaide ended up in wellington and
was picked by his father.
 They lived in onehunga , top of the shop. 9 people in shop.
 He went to Epsom primary till standard 4 in 1941 . They were there for 4 years. Father
bought a shop in Glen Eden and family moved there. He was brought up in a Arya Samaji
way of life. He went to new lynn primary school, then Avondale intermediate and finally to
Avondale college.
 He did his tertiary education at AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY – BA AND LAW – 1960.
 Graduated and started working part time at Kingston Firm and Heigh charter and Carthy in
1957. He slowly moved as a solicitor and then as a senior solicitor in David longee team and
then worked in partnership with him, he was the intermediate boss of David Longee and
they both became friends.
 Joined Patel mcliver prabhu – 1963 – partnership. Oct 1977 Patel died so he was on his own
for six months. He joined Eelworth Penny and Edwards. William Charam was a speaker in
the first labour government who retired in 2008 then Thakur became a consultant to them.
 He has one brother and one sister, both are here in NZ. Shanti his wife worked at university.
He has 2 girls both married in America.
 Father was deeply involved in community , first secretary of Auckland Indian association,
1938. He was a secretary of the central association as well.
 Thakur used to go to the meeting with dad and celebrated Gandhis birthday and also used to
go to Gandhis memorial. They would close the shop on Gandhi’s birthday.
 Kept going to the meetings with old man. Karam singh bassi would say to him we need boys
like you.
 In 1960 as a delegate went to Pukekohe and finished his law degree. Assisted on
immigration issues and spearheaded Indians struggle for equal rights.
 One of the big issues at that time was that the Indian boys in NZ could bring their wives out
from India but NZ Indian girls couldn’t bring their Indian husbands out. Minister of
immigration was simply taking them round and round.
 Along with Shalima, air india crew manager, who was half Indian half Maori and also a
member of Maori women welfare in 1960, he spearheaded the initiative with country
section branch to address this issue , it was finally resolved with allowance being made by
the government.
 He worked alongside Ganges Singh / Prithvi Pal Singh on many immigration matters and
would travel to Taumranui regularly.
 He stayed with David Langue party.
 He helped form the Ethnic council which simply rose out of issues and took hard stands
against racism.
 When Cathy Tizard mayor he worked for the fair trading conditions for Indians especially in
liquor bar licensing.
 He helped setup an ethnic desk and also worked towards getting a ministry of ethnic affairs.
 He was very close to David , helped David longee to work in india for 6 weeks in Bombay.
David visited villages / rural Gujarat.
 Got Davids son Roy to study in India. Roy met Meetu from there and got married.
 When Rajiv Gandhi visited NZ , Thakur helped David to organise community meetings.
 He was a honorary solicitor of princess St Otahuhu Gurudwara and was at the opening of the
temple.
 Christmas time Roshan Nauhria who lived up the road from him started to discuss mandir /
flats idea at Balmoral and thus Balmoral Mandir was formed. Morari babu from Gujrat was
brough over , he was a great story teller.
 Spearheaded the Auckland regional migrant centre and became the founding president.
 Also was a president of Mahila samaj and helped them to setup up their office.
 He was a advisor to the race relations office .
 He is fully retired now and spends most of the time reading and spending time with the
family.