The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has endorsed the sentiments paid to veteran religious Hindu leader and politician Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud who along with former Leader of the Opposition, Robert Corbin were honoured by the National Assembly at its July 12 sitting. In a letter to Pandit Persaud GECOM’s Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally said: “At the 367th Statutory Meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission it was unanimously that I write to you  endorsing all those genuine sentiments contained  in the superlative tributes paid to you during the most recent sitting of the National Assembly on Thursday last (July 12).”
“The Commission further wished to acknowledge your superlative service to the Cooperative republic of Guyana, both as a Member of Parliament as well as an exemplary political leader.”
Pandit Persaud is one of the oldest stalwarts of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and is the President and founder of the largest Hindu organisation in Guyana, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, sering as a member of Parliament for over 40 years.
Born on January 16, 1936 at Plantation Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara  Pandit Persaud, whose father and indentured Immigrant , was also a Hindu priest. He attended Grove Anglican School and Trinity High School in Georgetown. His ambition was to become a lawyer but poverty did not allow him to fulfill that ambition.  However, he got some consolation working as lawyer’s clerk for many years.
But his life was influenced by the later President Dr Cheddi jagan and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) since the early 1950s.
Pandit Persaud entered Parliament on December 7, 1965 at the youthful age of 28 and identifies his mentors as Dr Cheddi Jagan, Ashton Chase, Dr Fenton Ramsahoye and Cedric Vernon Nunes. In 1958 he became a member of the PPP’s General Council where has remained up to this day.
He also served as Ministers of Agriculture, Parliamentar y Affairs and Leader of the House
Pandit Persaud is one of the few Guyanese who have successfully combined a religious and political career.