Mr. Devant Maharaj first entered Parliament as a Senator and Minister of Transport on Monday June 27, 2011.

Mr. Maharaj is a writer, cultural, social and political activist. He is an Executive Member of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), the largest Hindu body in Trinidad and Tobago, and was the youngest member of the SDMS when he was appointed in 1996.

Mr. Maharaj was a weekly columnist with the Trinidad Newsday from 1997-2005, and has also been published in the Trinidad Guardian. A prolific writer on Indo-Caribbean issues, Mr. Maharaj has also been published in several regional and international newspapers including the Jamaica Gleaner, the Barbados Nation, the St. Lucia Star, India Post, Asian Age, BJP Today, Hinduism Today, Indian Express and India Abroad.

In 2002 Mr. Maharaj was appointed the SDMS Delegate to the Inter-Religious Organization (IRO) of Trinidad and Tobago and was at that time the youngest member of the IRO. He held this position in the IRO until 2006.

In 2005 Mr. Maharaj was appointed by the SDMS as Chairman of the Indian Caribbean Museum of Trinidad and Tobago. Located in Waterloo, Carapichaima, this body was established to collect artefacts on the Indo-Trinidadian presence in Trinidad and Tobago. He undertook the task of developing an Indian Museum from concept to reality. The museum under Mr. Maharaj’s chairmanship has attracted thousands of visitors locally and internationally.

Mr. Maharaj has presented many papers at a variety of forums on Indian and Hindu issues within Trinidad and Tobago. He is also the co-editor of the book "Hostile & Recalcitrant" and has also self-published booklets titled "The Persistence of the Indian Identity" and "Clash of Cultures: Indian African Clash."

adapted from a biography found on Wikipedia

Maiden Contribution

The Senate - Friday October 21, 2011 - link
The Appropriation (Financial Year - 2012) Bill, 2011 - link