Popularly known as the FMS (Federated Malay States) Indian Association, Taiping has an interesting beginning. It is a priceless heritage for the Indians of Taiping.

Known as the second echelon of the Strait Settlement services and a group of English educated businessmen, got the idea of forming an Association for the Indians, at Taiping. In the year 1894, a group led by T.J. Doraisamy Pillai from Penang arrived at Taiping, and gave a friendly talk urging the Indian residents at Taiping to form an Indian Association, where they would benefit in one way or another.

A branch was formed under his leadership, and one Mr. M.A C. Row as Vice President. The Secretary was P M Chatterji. The committee members were T.S.Pillai, V.S.Ramu Pillai and H.Subba Row. First, this branch became a part of the Penang Indian Association This branch went into inactivity till the year 1895.

In the year 1896, this branch came to be called as the Victoria Reading Room, and ended up as the Taiping Reading Room. It gained momentum when the FMS was formed.

One Reverend Raju Naidu called for a meeting at Taiping on April 2, 1906, at a Church Hall. The meeting seriously considered to from the Indian Association, and P.K. Nambyar, a trained lawyer was elected as the President and Reverend Raju Naidu as Vice President. P.K.Nambyar spoke at length at the Taiping meeting, highlighting the benefits the Indians would get by joining the Association. In the same year, it was officially registered, though the Association was established in the year 1894.

A prominent Indian Muslim of South Indian Origin by the name of Sheik Nunnemeah, who resided at Taiping in the year 1898 donated a building as the Indian Association for the Indians. He was a Apothecary and a rubber planter.

His son-in-law, Dr. Mohammad Ghows, also a South Indian origin, had his own medical practice at the Main Road, Taiping. He qualified as a doctor from the King Edward Medical College, Singapore. He became the President of I.A since 1920s. He was a very popular personality. His mode of transport was on horse carriage. He was often seen moving from Taiping to Matang to see his patients. He became the personal physician to Sultan lskander Shah of Perak. For his services the Sultan had awarded him with the title of Justice of Peace (J P).

He invited the Sultan to open the Indian Association in the year 1925, thus becoming the first Indian Association in the Federal Malay States to be opened by the Sultan. The brass plate is embedded on the wall of the Association, and seen till today. Another leading personality of Kuala Kangsar, by the name of Louis Thivy became a life member of the Association
The association became a leading club house for the educated Indians, irrespective of their religious back-ground , so long they all came from India.

Among the pre-war Presidents were one Kher Singh, Seenivasagam Pillai , Muthu Karuppan Chettiar, Kottivel (a North Indian Lawyer). After the Second World War, the first President was one K.Rengam a Labor commissioner. Subsequently many leading personalities of Taiping became Presidents.

The I.A became a centre for games and sports activities. some members were leading players in football , hockey, cricket, tennis and billiard games. The alphabets I .A were commonly used by many people in the district. ln 1926, a prominent leader from Ceylon by the name of K.Natesa Aiyer, visited the Association and delivered a talk on Indian culture.

In 1937, the leader of the Indian Congress, Jawaharlal Nehru (who was the first Prime minister of India) and his daughter Indira Ghandhi, during their first visit to Malaya were invited for a party at the Association. They were received by a large crowd.

In the year 1944 (during the Japanese Occupation) Subash Chandra Bose (Netaji) India’s Freedom Fighter came to the Association to talk about the role of the Indian National Army. Muthuramalinggam Pillai, the local INA leader and Netaji raised the Indian Flag , at the Circus Padang, Taiping .

Other activities that took place at the Association during the Japanese Occupation were recruiting members for INA, and recruiting workers for the Death Railway Construction. A Hindi class was conducted by one Mr.Sham Seghal (Ganesh).

When the British Army re-occupied Malaya, after the war, in September 1945, some military officers raided the Indian Association, and later arrested some INA members and interrogated them for aiding the Japanese Army officials. They were taken to Taiping Jail and kept for two months and released. Slowly some members came back to the I .A and revived the games and other activities .

In the year 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru , the Prime Minister of India, during his Asian tour visited the I .A when the local leaders and others -welcomed him. During a party at the I. A, a prominent lady member of the community (Madame Duraiappah) was invited to garland Nehru. He delivered a talk and advised the Indians living in Malaya to give respect and pay homage in the country they resided .

The I.A was always a Cultural Centre for the Indian Community in Taiping . Music and Dramas by various artists from India used to perform for the local crowd . By these shows the I.A raised money for welfare organisations .

More than a century has gone by, the I.A is a living monument for the Indians in Taiping. The building may not look like a heritage structure, a simple house building, but its heritage values are many and for that reason, the present members should preserve these values .

The writer was also a past President from 1983 to 1986. In the year 1985, during the (Sempena Pertabalan Sultan dan Raja Permaisuri Yang Ke 34), the I.A received the second prize for “Kereta Menghias” which was held on the 21 December 1985 and was presented by Sultan Azlan Shah.

Written By: Mr. M. Ponnusamy
Edited By: Mr. S. Rasadurai