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| Mr. & Mrs Blackie Purmasir |
His
father Blackie Purmasir was the first South African of Indian origin to
establish himself as a soft drink and sweet manufacturer. He was also a member of the Natal Indian Congress; member of Indian Hospital Advisory
Board; Vice-President of Durban Arya Samaj; funded the Hindi Shiksha Sangh
(S.A.); chairman of Liberty Building Society; President of Arya Prathinidhi
Sabha of S.A. Donated to the completion of M. L. Sultan Technical College- now known as the Durban University of Technology-; Member of
Durban International Club; Shareholder of the Arya Sahitya Mundal, Ltd., Ajmer,
Rajastan, India and Trustee of Gandhi-Tagore Lectureship Trust. His interest was Cycling, Music and Sport.
He died at the age of ninety three on the 4th August, 1970
He died at the age of ninety three on the 4th August, 1970
Sukhdev had twelve siblings –
seven brothers and five sisters.
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| Sukhdev Sharma Purmasir |
He and his younger brother
Lakhraj took over the reigns from their father long before their much younger brothers were born. In 1928 the South
African Sweets Manufacturing Company (Pty) Ltd was established. Lakhraj was the
managing director of the sweet company situated at 503-507 Umgeni Road
Greyville Durban. In 1951 Durban
Electric Mineral Water Works began trading as Icy Favorite Bottling Company.
Sukhdev was a proficient, alert and adept businessman and a man of integrity, he became the unique person to hold the family realm together and that was exactly what he did. His loyalty and attentive management turned it into a mighty business empire. Subsidiary
companies were Mahajan Properties, Sharma & Co Real Estate Agents, Property
Developments, Imports and Exports, Wholesaling, Retailing and Industrial Warehousing.
His high proficiency in
business administration served him as Director and Chairman of the Board of Companies
and was an active and influential member of numerous committees, societies,
commissions, institutes, organizations and associations.
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| Sukhdev and Gouri with Pt. Nehru |
Sukhdev
followed closely in his fathers footsteps. He volunteered his leisure time to
cultural activities; was the treasurer for twenty five years at The Hindi Shiksha
Sangh (S.A.); as Secretary to the Durban Arya Samaj, and committee member of
Arya Prithindhi Sabha (S.A.) He was also a member of the International
University Society. In memory of his parents he was one of the pillar donors to
finance the completion of the Aryan Temple building in Carlisle Street, Durban,
South Africa.
His wife
Gouri passed away in 1966.
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| May Street, Durban, South Africa. |
In
December 1972 Sukhdev was kidnapped by a European extortion syndicate operating
in South Africa targeting prominent and financially successful Indian business
families. His circumspection and vigilant judgment saved his family businesses
from total loss. He escaped the horrendous experience and left the country for
a few months. In his dangerous situation
his courageous wisdom incited him to instruct his attorneys to apply for a High
Court Interdict and pursued legal proceedings against the extortion syndicate.
This incident and action alerted the law to investigate such criminal behaviour
in South Africa. The Justice Department had noticed that the members of the
syndicate had skipped the country.
At that time he had no idea a conspiracy was brewing to
oust him and his brother Lakhraj out of the business by their younger siblings,
most of whom were a generation gap in age and played no significant role in
building the business. In 1978, Sukhdev and Lakhraj were forced out of office by these siblings. Thereafter, materialistic gluttony,
irregularities and mismanagement brought an end to what was once a highly
industrial and respected family business. The shock to see it all fritter away
brought about the death of Lakhraj due to cardiac failure shortly after in
the same year. Sukhdev lived on to the age of 84 and died in 1991.
Children of
Sukhdev and Gouri Sharma Purmasir
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