Former Nadi FA, president remembered

Fiji Sports

Former NFA, president Bijay Prasad: Yasin PhotosFORMER footballers, administrators, families, and friends bid final farewell to Bijay Prasad, the former Nadi Football Association president on Sunday.

Bijay died last Wednesday at the Nadi Hospital. He was 81 years old.

Bijay served the district between 1974-1981, and under his leadership the district won the inaugural 1978 Battle of the Giants against Ba and against the same in 1980, both the times at Govind Park.

Prior to the spell, Bijay was the manager for the 1969 and 1971 team, periods that saw the district win the Inter District Championship.

Mohammed Sattar, the Fiji FA, life member and district secretary during Bijay’s tenure remembers the former president who had the district at heart.

He said the former president was an inspiring leader and even a better human being, who the players and management respected.

Bijay through his Australian football contact talked into former Captain Socceroo, Johnny Warren, to come coach the district for 1974-1975 football season.

Johnny Warren was the president’s house guest during his stay in Nadi.

“Bijay was a visionary administrator, ahead of his time”, said the former secretary. "He served with distinction".

“It was Bijay who brought Johnny Warren to Nadi, he was a technical director of the 1974 IDC winning team, Nadi beat Tailevu Naitasiri 1-0 the Prince Charles Park”.

Sattar said Prasad’s paradigm was discipline, he expected the very best out the management and the footballers.

Under Bijay’s leadership the district also won treble, 1978, 1980 and 1981 National League titles, thus making him the district’s most successful president.

He was an Oxford University (England) graduate and a career high schoolteacher, he later worked for Qantas airlines and Air Terminal Service (ATS) and lived in Qeleloa, Nadi all his life.

Bijay was cremated at the Wailoaloa crematorium.