Chandra, a graduate of
Gurukul Kangri University in India, arrived in Fiji on 22 December 1927 at the behest of the
Arya Samaj, which wanted to improve the education standard of
Indo-Fijian students and promote
Arya Samaj in Fiji. After a brief sojourn at Suva, he started teaching at the
Gurukul Primary School in Saweni,
Lautoka. In 1928 he became the Principal and under his leadership, boarding facilities were established at the school with 45 boarders out of a total population of 140, including 25
native Fijian students. During his time as Principal, the school made remarkable progress and he was commended by the
Governor,
Sir Murchison Fletcher. He was the founder of the
Fiji Teachers Union in 1929 and its first President. He was mentor of many of the early trade unionists and was the inspiration behind the formation of the
Chini Mazdur Sangh (now known as the
Sugar General Workers Union) and the
Gold Mine Workers Union of Vatukoula. He was seen as a person who could be trusted by all sections of the Indian community, and when the
Kisan Sangh split into two factions in 1943, both sides agreed to have the union's books audited by him. He was the president of the Fiji Industrial Workers Congress (now the
Fiji Trades Union Congress), an umbrella organisation representing all but one of the unions in Fiji. He promoted multi-racial trade unions and opposed the participation of any trade union in politics. In 1930 Chandra moved to Suva where he was instrumental in the establishment of Arya Samaj Girls School at Samabula. Later, he went to
Ba, establishing another school, Arya Kanya Pathshala (Arya Girls School). While in
Ba Chandra was also recruited by the
Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) to teach company employees and overseers to speak proper Hindi and understand Indian culture. His greatest contribution was the series of books,
Hindi Ki Pothi (Hindi Readers), that he published to enable Indian students to learn Hindi easily. These readers were compiled for students of different levels in primary schools and were used in Fiji for over twenty years. In 1935, with support from CSR, he formed the
Ba Indian Football Association with a local league which grew to four teams by 1940. Between 1947 and 1950 he was a nominated member of the Legislative Council, He had been married to Sarvati Deviji and had four daughters; Saroj, Jyan, Pushpa and Om. ==Legacy==