23 Facts About Anand Satyanand

Anand Satyanand then chaired the Commonwealth Observation Group of the National Elections of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea in 2017.

Anand Satyanand's father, Mutyala Satyanand, was born in Sigatoka of Telugu descent in 1913 and arrived in New Zealand in 1927 to attend high school and later university.

Anand Satyanand married Mutyala Satyanand in 1940, after moving to New Zealand.

Anand Satyanand worked at Westfield Freezing Works to help fund his studies and developed a friendship with David Lange who worked there at the same time.

Anand Satyanand graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Auckland in 1970.

Anand Satyanand worked as a lawyer for the next 12 years, some of that with the Crown Solicitor's firm and then as a Partner with the legal firm Shieff Angland.

Anand Satyanand served on the Council of the Auckland District Law Society from 1979 until his appointment as a Judge of the District Court of New Zealand in 1982.

In 1995 Satyanand was appointed an Ombudsman, and he served two 5-year terms.

Anand Satyanand was born in Sydney, Australia in 1946 and moved to New Zealand with her family in 1954.

Besides the official and national language of English which is his first language, Satyanand speaks some Fijian, Maori, Telugu and Fiji Hindi.

In 2006, Satyanand was appointed Governor-General by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the New Zealand government under Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Anand Satyanand succeeded Dame Silvia Cartwright as governor-general on 23 August 2006.

Anand Satyanand's appointment was welcomed by every parliamentary party leader.

Anand Satyanand was the first governor-general of Indian descent and the first Roman Catholic governor-general.

The first bill to which Satyanand granted Royal Assent was the Coroners Bill.

On 30 November 2006, Satyanand hosted a meeting between the Prime Minister of Fiji, Laisenia Qarase, and Fiji's military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, at Government House in Wellington in an attempt to resolve the escalating crisis in Fiji.

At the opening of the new New Lynn Train Station on 25 September 2010, Satyanand stated heavy investment in motorways and the decline of public transport after trams were taken off the roads in the 1950s had led to severe congestion to the detriment of both individuals and the economy.

On 5 October 2010, TVNZ Breakfast show host Paul Henry questioned whether Satyanand was "even a New Zealander".

Anand Satyanand was Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation for two 2-year terms, ending in December 2016.

Anand Satyanand then led the Commonwealth team in observing the National Elections of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.

Anand Satyanand maintains active interests in several organisations, including as President of the NZ Institute of International Affairs, as a member of Transparency International's Anti-Corruption Council and as Patron of New Zealand Rugby League and of Commonwealth Youth New Zealand.

Anand Satyanand is a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Auckland Law School, visiting on a monthly basis.

Susan and Anand are both active members of the Rotary Club of Wellington; both have been made Paul Harris Fellows, and Satyanand received the Rotary International Award of Honour in 2011.