Rinesh Sharma

Fijian entrepreneur and politician

The Honourable Rinesh Sharma MP
Sharma in 2023

Member of the Fijian Parliament for FijiFirst List
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 December 2022

Personal details
Born	(1993-04-22) 22 April 1993 (age 31) Lautoka, Fiji
Political party	FijiFirst

Rinesh Rajesh Sharma (born 22 April 1993) is a Fijian entrepreneur, politician and member of the Parliament of Fiji.^[1] He is a member of the FijiFirst party.

Early career and education

In 2018, Sharma graduated from Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering and Technology in India with a Bachelor of Computer Science and Engineering degree. He is originally from Lautoka.^[2] He then founded Smarts Fiji which specialises in hydroponics farming.^[3] That same year, he was able to secure a government-backed grant to begin automated hydroponics farms on a commercial scale in Fiji.^[4]

In February 2020, Sharma was nominated for the 2020 Commonwealth Youth Awards. That same year, he received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to combat the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji.^[5]

Political career

Sharma was one of the candidates announced by FijiFirst for the 2022 Fijian general election.^[6] He was elected to the Parliament of Fiji with 1,705 votes.^[7] At 29, he is the youngest to be serving as a member of parliament.^[8]^[9]

References

^ "Top 55 confirmed". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. 18 December 2022. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
^ "Three Fijians Shortlisted For Commonwealth Youth Awards". fijisun.com.fj. 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
^ "Hydroponic farming a convenient option: Sharma". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. 25 November 2018. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
^ "Young Fijian Makes Good Use Of Govt Scheme". fijisun.com.fj. 22 September 2018. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
^ Chaudhary, Felix (15 May 2020). "Fijian among five people to receive funding from Gates Foundation". FijiTimes. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
^ Journalist, Litia Cava Multimedia (6 October 2022). "FijiFirst announces 20 provisional candidates". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
^ "Rinesh Rajesh Sharma (277)". Fijian Elections Office. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
^ "Rinesh Sharma Is The Youngest Elected MP". fijisun.com.fj. 21 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
^ "Entrepreneur brings skillset to Parliament". FijiLive. 20 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.