Ajeet Praimsingh

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Ajeet Praimsingh was born on the 18th November 1953 to the late Popo and Padum Praimsingh in the village of St. Augustine. Here is where Ajeet grew up and began his life in business. At a very young age, his first job was riding his bike delivering newspapers throughout the village. As many may not know, this job initiated and sparked his passion for serving his community, a trait that was part of who he was. After his role as a newspaper boy, he served as a postman in his early twenties. In this stage of his life, his abiding dream and ambition was to build a larger more modern home for his family. He also became more passionate about serving his community on a larger scale.

His success and distinctive knowledge in business was due to his background. His grandfather, Babu Praimsingh, (1890-1956) was the creator of the first Pooja store in Trinidad named Praimsingh’s Pooja Bhavan Limited, an ‘all in one’ pooja and music shop, selling all pooja materials, books, recording items and magazines on Watts Street Curepe. His son Padum was the inheritor of the business, however he migrated to England. This led to Popo, his mother taking charge of the store after her father in law passed. She was nicknamed the “Iron Lady” as she was the head of the Pooja store, the snack shop vendor and a full time provider for her family. Ajeet became the owner in 1979.

He was a trendsetter. His love for his rich indigenous culture reflected in the way he conducted business. He prepared hand-outs for every religious occasion, free of charge to all his customers. He implemented a religious seasonal section for his stores where he displayed books, murties and all the materials needed for the next upcoming season. His ideas for readily packaged pooja bags, hawan packs and dhar packs made worship preparation stress-free. His innovations were efficient, original and a benchmark for other pooja stores to follow as these features are common to pooja stores nationwide.

Indian music and serving culture was his first love and his family came after. He was honoured for long and meritorious service in the fields of culture, religion, business, social and community activism. He was the founder and president of the Mere Desh (My Country) Committee, where he became a well-known servant of the people who has rendered long, meritorious, and distinguished service to Trinidad & Tobago. The idea of Mere Desh came about when he attended several Arrival Day re-enactments that emphasised the whipping and hardships that indentured labourers had to endure. He found this quite disturbing and thought that it was not good enough. It was at this point he had the vision to introduce a more positive programme for the occasion.

The Mere Desh Committee was Established in the year 1991, has commemorated Indian Arrival Day and branded it as Recognition Day since then. Every year many outstanding unsung sons and daughters of Trinidad and Tobago have been recognised for their contribution to society and they received awards of recognition. Also various competitions were staged.

Some of the Mere Desh Committee Projects include;
- Local Classical Singing Competition focusing on the teachings of Sant Kabir.
- Paratha Roti Competition.
- Agri Expo work shop in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Your Health is in Your Hands (free medical examination)
- Music workshop (teaching the public to play various East Indian Musical Instruments)
- Junior Tassa Group Competition

In addition to the popular Mere Desh activities, Mr. Ajeet Praimsingh, was popularly known as the ‘Indian Connection’, he was involved in various facets of Indian culture, competitions for Biraha, Tassarama, Mike-O-Rama, and PRO of the television show, Tarana. He was also a founding member of the Chutney Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago .

Mr. Praimsingh documented cultural history, with an impressive photographic collection of Local and foreign Indian artistes. He has been the producer for over 30 artistes – ranging from devotional songs to the chutney genre - under the “Praimsingh Presents” recording label, including performers such as Rakesh Yankaran, Boodram Holass, Sam Boodram and Rasika Dindial to name a few.

Ajeet Praimsingh is a household name in Trinidad and Tobago and overseas as far as India. He was a prominent businessman, cultural activist, cultural visionary, music producer and promoter and a “real live wire” in the community. In February 2005 he took a group of local folk singers known as the D’Bhuyaa Saaj on a monumental tour to India performing in seven cities showcasing the talent of our sons and daughters. He was the director of Cross Country Parade of Local Talent a 25 series radio programme discovering and showcasing local talent visiting various villages throughout the country.

For his contributions to culture and nation building Mr. Ajeet Praimsingh has received numerous awards of recognition and appreciation.
These awards included;
• Independence National Award Humming Bird (Silver) Medal from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
• The Chaguanas Borough Corporation-The Mayor Award
• Hindi Nidhi Award,
• The National Chutney Foundation and National Cultural promotion
• The Indian Classical Singers and Drummers Association Award
• Gopio Trinidad and Tobago Award
• Gayelle –Pierrot Award
• 103 FM’s Hall of Fame ‘Recognition Award’
Other organizations have also bestowed awards on Mr. Ajeet Praimsingh, and are too many too mention.

His religious contributions included-
• 4 days - project on Sant Kabir Dass Venue Freeport
• 5-days lectures on the Teaching and Philosophy of Sant Kabir
• A Kabir Bhajanmala -Songs and Praises to Sant Kabir.
• T&T Kabir Panth Reunion and Family and Sports Day.
• Forming The Kabir Panth Association- All Groups coming together in a vision to build a school “The Kabir Vidyalaya

Projects Ajeet Praimsingh started but was unable to complete due to his health include;
• The Kabir Vidyalaya – A Technical Vocational institute and College of Fine Arts (School).
• The Isaac Yankaran Monument to be erected at Isaac Yankaran Cremation Site, Waterloo.
• The Upgrading of the Caroni Cremation Site.

Ajeet is missed by many for his charming smile, his wise words of advice his passion for Indian culture, and his determination to keep our treasured traditions alive.