The most powerful image of Ranjit Kumar that emerges from the biographical sketch named after him is that of "protector of the Indians."He arrived here from his native India, discerned the plight of sons and daughters of indentured Indians and determined he had a mission to protect them politically against marginalisation and to assist with cultural and political self-assertion in Trinidad.
The authors of the biography, Emerita Professor of History at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Bridget Brereton and former school principal Primnath Gooptar, note that in a letter to India's prime minister at Independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, Kumar seemed ready to release himself from the task when an Indian high commissioner was appointed to Port-of-Spain."I feel I am now freed from much of my responsibility for the welfare of local Indians," Kumar wrote to the new Indian Prime Minister.
But the authors are not convinced that he meant to leave, as he became involved in political life here. Kumar's campaign and victory as an independent in the 1946 general election were significant.In the modern history of T&T's electoral politics, the election was arguably the most important. It was the first occasion when everyone 21 and over was able to vote whatever their social, economic and language capacity.
As analysed by the authors, the general election marked the period when "race" consciousness became apparent in the campaign as the broad mass of citizens elected representatives to the Legislative Council.Kumar's campaign mobilised and gave hope to the majority Indian population of Victoria. He received over 13,000 of the approximately 24,000 votes cast in the constituency.
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