Rinesh Sharma
{{Short description|Fijian entrepreneur and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Rinesh Sharma
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image = Rinesh Rajesh Sharma 2023.jpg
| caption = Sharma in 2023
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| constituency_MP11 = the Republic of Fiji
| parliament11 = Fijian
| term_start11 = 14 December 2022
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1993|04|22}}
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| party = FijiFirst (2022–2024)
Independent (2024–present)
| alma_mater = Natabua High School
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University
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Rinesh Rajesh Sharma (born 22 April 1993) is a Fijian entrepreneur, politician and member of the Parliament of Fiji.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=18 December 2022 |title=Top 55 confirmed |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/top-55-confirmed/ |access-date=21 January 2023 |website=Fiji Broadcasting Corporation |archive-date=23 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223040948/https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/top-55-confirmed/ |url-status=live }} He became an independent politician, following the deregistration of FijiFirst in 2024.
Early career and education
In 2018, Sharma graduated from Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering and Technology in India with a Bachelor of Computer Science and Engineering degree. He is originally from Lautoka.{{Cite web |date=24 February 2022 |title=Three Fijians Shortlisted For Commonwealth Youth Awards |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/02/24/three-fijiansshortlisted-for-commonwealth-youth-awards/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=fijisun.com.fj |language=en-US |archive-date=28 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128031655/https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/02/24/three-fijiansshortlisted-for-commonwealth-youth-awards/ |url-status=live }} He then founded Smarts Fiji which specialises in hydroponics farming.{{Cite web |date=25 November 2018 |title=Hydroponic farming a convenient option: Sharma |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/hydroponic-farming-a-convenient-option-sharma/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=Fiji Broadcasting Corporation |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122013645/https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/hydroponic-farming-a-convenient-option-sharma/ |url-status=live }} That same year, he was able to secure a government-backed grant to begin automated hydroponics farms on a commercial scale in Fiji.{{Cite web |date=22 September 2018 |title=Young Fijian Makes Good Use Of Govt Scheme |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2018/09/22/young-fijian-makes-good-use-of-govt-scheme/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=fijisun.com.fj |language=en-US |archive-date=5 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805135545/https://fijisun.com.fj/2018/09/22/young-fijian-makes-good-use-of-govt-scheme/ |url-status=live }}
In February 2020, Sharma was nominated for the 2020 Commonwealth Youth Awards. That same year, he received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to combat the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji.{{Cite web |last=Chaudhary |first=Felix |date=15 May 2020 |title=Fijian among five people to receive funding from Gates Foundation |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/fijian-among-five-people-to-receive-funding-from-gates-foundation/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=FijiTimes |language=en |archive-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117062128/https://www.fijitimes.com/fijian-among-five-people-to-receive-funding-from-gates-foundation/ |url-status=live }}
Political career
Sharma was one of the candidates announced by FijiFirst for the 2022 Fijian general election.{{Cite web |last=Journalist |first=Litia Cava Multimedia |date=6 October 2022 |title=FijiFirst announces 20 provisional candidates |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/fijifirst-announced-20-provisional-candidates/ |access-date=21 January 2023 |website=Fiji Broadcasting Corporation |archive-date=22 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022095141/https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/fijifirst-announced-20-provisional-candidates/ |url-status=live }} He was elected to the Parliament of Fiji with 1,705 votes.{{Cite web |title=Rinesh Rajesh Sharma (277) |url=https://2022results.feo.org.fj/Home/CandidateResults?Id=105&CandidateBallotNumber=277&Year=2022+Official |access-date=21 January 2023 |website=Fijian Elections Office |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122013653/https://2022results.feo.org.fj/Home/CandidateResults?Id=105&CandidateBallotNumber=277&Year=2022+Official |url-status=live }} At 29, he is the youngest to be serving as a member of parliament.{{Cite web |date=21 December 2022 |title=Rinesh Sharma Is The Youngest Elected MP |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2022/12/21/rinesh-sharma-is-the-youngest-elected-mp/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=fijisun.com.fj |language=en-US |archive-date=22 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222020206/https://fijisun.com.fj/2022/12/21/rinesh-sharma-is-the-youngest-elected-mp/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=20 December 2022 |title=Entrepreneur brings skillset to Parliament |url=https://fijilive.com/business/2022/12/20/entrepreneur-brings-skillset-to-parliament/6736/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=FijiLive |language=en-US |archive-date=22 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222052049/https://fijilive.com/business/2022/12/20/entrepreneur-brings-skillset-to-parliament/6736/ |url-status=live }}