Vin was one of nature’s gentlemen – quiet and unassuming, a great people person and a friend to many and among that many were his SVC mates.
Vin came to St Virgil’s as a boarder from Fiji in 1960.
His Indian father, a lawyer, was a secretary to Mahatma Gandhi, and was later sent by Gandhi to provide support and assistance to the huge numbers of Indians who travelled to Fiji for work.
Vin quickly adjusted to his new environment and plunged himself into SVC life. He was well liked by his peers and was elected a Prefect in his final year. He was a talented sportsman who played senior rugby for all four years of his time at the College and was the 1963 Captain of the team that won the A Grade premiership – the first in nine years. Vin usually played senior hockey in the morning prior to representing SVC on the rugby pitch in the afternoon. The senior hockey team, of which Vin was a valued member, won the State SATIS title in his final year. For a brief time he also played soccer – a third winter sport!
Vin attended UTas where he gained a Science Degree, majoring in Geology. He spent his working life in Hobart where he was employed variously by CSIRO, Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water & Environment (DPIPWE) and UTas.
Vin was a great family man. He married Anne Godfrey in 1972 and they have three children and eight grandchildren.
Throughout his life Vin loved the outdoors. He was a great bushwalker, a yoga practitioner, had a superb vegie garden and an avid reader. The bicycle was his usual mode of transport during his working life.
Vin passed away suddenly. He was admitted to hospital on Wednesday December 30 with what turned out to be a type of encephalitis infection. The infection worsened, Vin was admitted to ICU but passed away during the night of Saturday January 2.
He was one of nature’s gentlemen – quiet and unassuming, a great people person and a friend to many and among that many were his SVC mates.
An impressive memorial celebration for Vin was held on Friday February 8 in an olive grove on his brother-in-law’s property in Richmond. Approximately 340 people were in attendance and the service was made available to those unable to be present through ‘zoom’. The celebration is still available for viewing on www.maifield.net
Rest in peace,Vinu.
