Dr. Mahendra Reddy is a

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

an politician and former Member of the

Parliament of Fiji The Parliament of the Republic of Fiji is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Fiji. It consists of 55 members elected every 4 years using open list proportional representation in one multi-member nationwide constituency. History ...

. He served as the Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment from 2017 to 2022. Reddy was an award-winning scholarship student at the

University of the South Pacific The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public university, public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and ...

and the

University of Hawaii A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

. He did his

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

Degree and PhD in Agriculture and Resource Economics on a Fulbright Scholarship on an East-West Centre Fellowship at the University of Hawaii. He taught

Economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

at the University of the South Pacific, becoming a Lecturer in Development Studies in 1998 and getting promoted to Senior lecturer in 2005. In 2007, he became the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics and Associate Professor of Economics. In 2008, he became the Head of the USP School of Economics before being transferred to the Fiji Institute of Technology in October as the Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Hospitality and Tourism Studies. In March 2009, he was appointed as the Chair of the Commerce Commission. In July 2014, he resigned as Commerce Commission director and from the

Reserve Bank of Fiji The Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) is the central bank of the Pacific island country of Fiji. The responsibilities of the RBF include issue of currency, control of money supply, currency exchange, monetary stability, promotion of sound finances, a ...

board chairman to join the

FijiFirst FijiFirst ( fj, iMatai ni Viti) is a liberal political party in Fiji. The party was formed in March 2014 by then Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama. Formation The party was launched on 31 March 2014 with Bainimarama beginning a nationwide tour of ...

party to contest in the elections. Reddy was elected to

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

in the 2014 election, in which he won 5,398 votes. He was appointed to Cabinet as Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts in September 2014. On 4 July 2017 Reddy appeared in court on charges of bribery and using undue influence over allegations he offered a water supply to a school in exchange for the school manager's vote. Due to this, he resigned from his post. However, in December 2017, due to no conclusive evidence, those charges were dropped, and Reddy was appointed as the new minister for Ministry of Waterways. He was re-elected in the 2022 election with 2654 votes. On 26 January 2023 Reddy resigned from Parliament. He was replaced as an MP by Penioni Ravunawa.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reddy, Mahendra Indian members of the Parliament of Fiji University of the South Pacific alumni FijiFirst politicians Agriculture ministers of Fiji Education ministers of Fiji Culture ministers of Fiji Environment ministers of Fiji Living people Fijian politicians of Indian descent Fijian Hindus Year of birth missing (living people) University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni Fijian scientists Academic staff of the University of the South Pacific Academic staff of Fiji Institute of Technology Fijian civil servants Fijian economists