Later Years
During his final years of public service, Deo no longer displayed his firebrand characteristics of the 1920s and 1930s, but had mellowed and was loved and respected by all sections of Fiji's population.
When Radio Fiji started broadcasting in July 1954 the first Hindi voice heard over the air in Fiji was that of Vishnu Deo, who presented the inaugural address. He had been appointed to the Commission in March 1954, following the death of Ami Chandra.
On 14 September 1956 Pundit Vishnu Deo was appointed to the Executive Council. In the selection of Vishnu Deo, the Indian members displayed remarkable unity as reported by the Fiji Times (10/10/1956):
The appointment of Mr. Pdt. Vishnu Deo to the Executive Council was unanimously endorsed at a meeting of the five Indian Legislative Council members held at Nausori during the weekend. This is believed to be the first time in Fiji when all Legislative Council members of any race combined together to support the candidature of one of their own members into the Executive Council.
In November 1958, in his speech to welcome the new Governor, Sir Kenneth Maddocks, he again displayed a conciliatory approach and said:
I assure you Sir, that we will at all times co-operate with you in this Council and outside the Council on all matters that are for the welfare of the Colony and every section of the community.
During the same sitting of the Legislative Council, H. B. Gibson, European member for Eastern Division, pointed out that although the rules of the Legislative Council made him the Senior Member, the Father of the House - both by length of service and by age - was Mr Vishnu Deo.
Read more about this topic: Vishnu Deo
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