A call has been made for the late Independent Senator Deoroop Teemal to be awarded the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
The appeal came during Mr. Teemal’s funeral service, held at the Divali Nagar in Chaguanas, where scores of people gathered to pay their final respects.
Mr. Teemal, who served as President of the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC), was remembered as a cultural stalwart. NCIC First Vice-President Surujdeo Mangaroo described his passing as a tremendous loss to the cultural community and urged that he be posthumously awarded the ORTT in recognition of his outstanding service to the nation.
“Culture has been given a powerful blow by his departure. The NCIC joins with members of the community in respectfully urging the relevant authorities to confer the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago posthumously in recognition of his distinguished and outstanding service to this country, Trinidad and Tobago.”
President of the Senate, Wade Mark, said Senator Teemal set a high standard as Chair of the Parliament’s Land and Physical Infrastructure Committee.
“Senator Teemal was a son of the soil in the truest sense, grounded in faith, culture and service. As President of the National Council of Indian Culture and as longstanding head of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh since 1998.”
Meanwhile, Opposition Senator, Dr. Amery Browne, compared Senator Teemal to Mahatma Gandhi, an anti-colonial nationalist who employed non-violent resistance to lead India’s successful campaign for independence.
“He certainly is worthy of the best salutation and regard that this nation has to offer. As I said during the service, in every way he was and is an exemplar for Trinidad and Tobago.”
The eulogy for Senator Teemal came from his daughters, Kaajal and Priya.
“My sister and I fondly remember receiving flowers and chocolates from him every Valentine’s Day. No matter how busy he was, he would make time for family gatherings, from get-togethers with his brother, his sisters, his brothers-in-law, where he was famous for his barbecue tofu kebabs, to religiously attending the Felicity end-of-year limes with my mother and their extended family.”
Independent Senator Teemal died on August 3rd. He was 68.