Premila Kumar
{{short description|Minister for Education of Fiji from 2021 to 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Premila Kumar
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image = Premila Kumar.jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption = Kumar in 2020
| order =
| office = Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts
| term_start = 24 August 2021
| term_end = 24 December 2022
| primeminister = Frank Bainimarama
| predecessor = Rosy Akbar
| successor = Aseri Radrodro
| office1 = Minister for Local Government
| termstart1 = 22 November 2018
| successor1 = Maciu Katamotu
| termend1 = 24 December 2022
| primeminister1 = Frank Bainimarama
| predecessor1 = Parveen Bala
| office3 = Minister for Housing and Community Development
| president3 =
| term_start3 = 22 November 2018
| term_end3 = 24 August 2021
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 = Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
| office4 = Minister for Commerce, Trade and Tourism
| term_start4 = 22 November 2018
| term_end4 = 21 April 2020
| predecessor4 = Faiyaz Koya
| successor4 = Faiyaz Koya
| constituency_MP11 = FijiFirst List
| parliament11 = Fijian
| term_start11 = 14 November 2018
| term_end11 =
| predecessor11 =
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| majority11 =
| birth_date =
| birthname =
| party = FijiFirst
| spouse =
| relations =
| children = three
| residence =
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| signature =
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}}
Premila Kumar is a Fijian consumer advocate, politician and former Cabinet Minister. She served as chief executive of the Consumer Council of Fiji from 2006 to 2018, and then as a Cabinet Minister in the government of Frank Bainimarama from 2018 to 2022. She is a member of the FijiFirst party.
Early life
Kumar was born in Suva and educated at Suva Methodist Primary School, Dudley Intermediate, and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School.{{cite web |url=https://fijituwawa-news.blogspot.com/2007/07/meet-premila-kumar.html |title=MEET PREMILA KUMAR |publisher=FijiTuwawa News |date=15 July 2007 |access-date=31 March 2023}} She then studied for a bachelor of science at Sophia College for Women in India, before working as a teacher. She later completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of the South Pacific, and a Master of Science in trade and the environment in the Netherlands.{{cite web |url=http://fijisun.com.fj/2018/11/20/from-an-influential-consumer-advocate-to-member-of-parliament/ |title=From An Influential Consumer Advocate To Member Of Parliament|publisher=Fiji Sun |date=20 November 2018 |access-date=23 October 2018}} She later worked as a Government environmental advocate and as an investment manager at Fiji Islands Trade & Investment Bureau.{{cite web |url=https://www.pressreader.com/fiji/fiji-sun/20191118/282441350921607 |title=KUMAR SPENDS FIRST 12 MONTHS STREAMLINING POLICIES, SYSTEMS |publisher=FijiSun |date=18 November 2019 |access-date=31 March 2023 |via=PressReader}}
In 2006 she was appointed chief executive of the Consumer Council of Fiji. As chief executive she led campaigns on drug prices,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/188149/drug-prices-in-fiji-double-says-new-survey |title=Drug prices in Fiji double says new survey |publisher=RNZ |date=12 January 2010 |access-date=31 March 2023}} bank fees,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/236751/fiji's-reserve-bank-urged-to-review-fees-and-charges |title=Fiji's Reserve Bank urged to review fees and charges |publisher=RNZ |date=20 February 2014 |access-date=31 March 2023}} and fuel prices,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/178639/fiji-consumer-council-shocked-at-size-of-fuel-price-rise |title=Fiji Consumer Council shocked at size of fuel price rise |publisher=RNZ |date=6 August 2008 |access-date=31 March 2023}} among other issues. She also served as a council member of Consumers International. She resigned as chief executive in July 2018{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2018/07/07/premila-kumar-resigns/ |title=Premila Kumar Resigns |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=7 July 2018 |access-date=31 March 2023}} in order to pursue a career in politics.
In 2010 the Fiji Times named her the most influential woman of the year. In 2015 she was awarded the Executive Woman of the Year Award in 2015 by Women in Business.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2015/03/09/premila-thanks-three-men-who-helped-shape-her-career/ |title=Premila Thanks Three Men Who Helped Shape Her Career |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=9 March 2015 |access-date=31 March 2023}}
Political career
Kumar was selected as a candidate for the FijiFirst party for the 2018 Fijian general election.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/366843/fijifirst-announces-candidates-but-no-election-date |title=FijiFirst announces candidates but no election date |publisher=RNZ |date=20 September 2018 |access-date=31 March 2023}} She was elected, and appointed Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism, Local Government, and Housing.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/376551/fiji-government-ministers-sworn-in |title=Fiji Government ministers sworn in |publisher=RNZ |date=22 November 2018 |access-date=31 March 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/tarana/108801042/bainimarama-and-his-ministers-sworn-in-as-fijis-government-gets-down-to-business |title=Bainimarama and his ministers sworn in as Fiji's government gets down to business |publisher=Stuff |date=22 November 2018 |access-date=31 March 2023}} As a Minister, she opposed the restoration of elected local councils, which had been abolished by the military regime in 2009.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/379763/no-municipal-elections-for-fiji-until-major-reforms |title=No municipal elections for Fiji until "major reforms" |publisher=RNZ |date=9 January 2019 |access-date=31 March 2023}} A cabinet reshuffle in April 2020 saw her surrender the Commerce, Trade and Tourism portfolio to former Minister Faiyaz Koya, while continuing as Minister for Local Government, Housing and Community Development.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/414715/fiji-pm-reshuffles-cabinet-faiyaz-koya-gets-commerce-portfolio |title=Fiji PM reshuffles cabinet, Faiyaz Koya gets commerce portfolio |publisher=RNZ |date=21 April 2020 |access-date=31 March 2023}} A further reshuffle in August 2021 saw her appointed Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, and surrender the Housing and Community Development portfolios to Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.{{Cite web |publisher=Fiji Village |title=Rosy Akbar is now Minister for Women, Children & Poverty Alleviation while Premila Kumar is new Education Minister |url=https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Rosy-Akbar-is-now-Minister-for-Women-Children--Poverty-Alleviation-while-Premila-Kumar-is-new-Education-Minister-4fxr58/ |date=22 August 2021 |access-date=31 March 2023 |language=en}}
She was re-elected in the 2022 election,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/481027/fiji-s-general-election-all-the-latest-results |title=Fiji's general election: All the latest results |publisher=RNZ |date=19 December 2022 |access-date=31 March 2023}} winning 1025 votes,{{cite web |url=https://2022results.feo.org.fj/Home/CandidateResults?Id=159&CandidateBallotNumber=331&Year=2022+Official |title=Premila Devi Kumar (331) |publisher=Fijian Elections Office |access-date=31 March 2023}} but lost her Cabinet position when the Bainimarama regime lost power to the coalition government.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/481392/sitiveni-rabuka-is-fiji-s-new-prime-minister |title=Sitiveni Rabuka is Fiji's new prime minister |publisher=RNZ |date=24 December 2022 |access-date=31 March 2023}}
References
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{{Fiji First |state=autocollapse}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Premila}}
Category:Indian members of the Parliament of Fiji
Category:FijiFirst politicians
Category:Government ministers of Fiji
Category:Fijian civil servants
Category:Fijian women civil servants
Category:21st-century Fijian educators
Category:Fijian women educators
Category:Fijian environmentalists
Category:Politicians from Suva
Category:21st-century Fijian women politicians
Category:Women government ministers of Fiji
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)