[Source: Twitter]

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has paid tribute to indentured labourers who first arrived from India 142 years ago.

In a tweet, Bainimarama says the resilience of these girmitiyas through the painful Girmit era is an inspiration for all Fijians.

He adds they and their descendants have made huge contributions in all facets of Fijian life and it is impossible to imagine Fiji without these Fijians.

[Source: Twitter]

Between 1879 and 1916 over 60,000 indentured labourers came from various parts of India to work in the cane plantations under British rule.