Sathi Narain - Early Life

Early Life

Narain was the second child, born during the second year of his parents' life as free labourers in Fiji. His father later found work as a construction worker in Suva, where Narain was also introduced to the tools of the construction trade. After the birth of his third child, Narain's father developed a passion for gambling. He lost all his savings and also owed a great deal of money to others. To get away from his creditors, he decided to return to India, intending to find work there, save enough money and return.

After the departure of his father, his mother gave birth to her fourth child and struggled to look after her children. While on a visit to the Levuka, on the island of Ovalau, she met and married Latchman Naidu and moved to Koro island. Naidu had set up a small business in Koro, buying and selling tobacco and trading in other small goods. Relations between Narain and his stepfather were not always good, so when he was sent to hospital in Levuka for a knee ailment, he stayed on at his recently married sister's place. Narain was ten years old then and started attending the local mission school. Through the wife of the local dentist who had connections with the school, Narain was able to get employment in the surgery. When the dentist moved to Suva, Narain went with them and for two years worked full time at their home as houseboy and at the surgery.

After two years in Suva his stepfather took him back to Koro, and he was put to work on a European's estate. When the owner was taken ill, Sathi was given charge of the estate. His mother died during the same year aged only 36.