Bay of Plenty (Rotorua) Indian Association President Kishorbhai Morarji died in a car accident on the evening of Saturday, January 30.
Mr Morarji had driven to Morrinsville in Waikato for a daylong meeting of the New Zealand Indian Central Association (NZICA). He was driving back to Rotorua when he lost his life in the car accident at about 8-30pm.
Such meetings are usually attended by two people from the Association but yesterday Mr Morarji went alone, an associate said.
The circumstances of what led to the accident were not immediately clear and Mr Morarji’s close friends and members of the Association were still waiting for information when Indian Weekender spoke to them earlier today.
Past President Hasmukhbhai Chhagan said Mr Morarji had taken on the role of the President only in 2009. He ran an electronics business in Hillcrest, Mr Chhagan said.
Mr Morarji, who was only 52, regularly sent out a newsletter to the community detailing activities of the Association and many of these have been covered in the Indian Weekender magazine and website.
The departed businessman was originally from Navsari in Gujarat but was raised in Mumbai where his father was employed. Mr Morarji migrated to New Zealand and later settled here with his family and siblings.
He leaves behind his wife and two sons. Mr Morarji’s elderly parents live in Christchurch, Mr Chhagan said.
The funeral was likely to be held on Tuesday in Rotorua, Mr Chhagan said.