Prominent Trinidadian-born businessman Mohan Jaikaran who was the dynamic driving force behind an impressive array of businesses from Richmond Hill, Queens, to his native land, will be remembered at memorial services that begin Friday.
Jaikaran died Sunday in his Westmoorings, Trinidad, home. He was 64.
Memorial services for Jaikaran in the United States start on Friday afternoon with a public viewing at the La Monica Funeral Home in Livingston, New Jersey, followed by a private funeral on Saturday at New Jersey’s Rosedale Cemetery and Crematory, according to the New York Daily News.
A second public memorial service will be held on Sunday afternoon in Queens at the Maracas nightclub on Jamaica Avenue for clubgoers and others to pay their respects, said Jaikaran’s daughter, Anita.
“He was a humble man who had a passion for helping people while seeking no rewards for his kindness,” said Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who attended a memorial service in Trinidad and Tobago for the late businessman Tuesday and is due to also attend tributes to Jaikaran in the U.S., the Daily News said.
Jaikaran, who migrated to the United States from Trinidad and Tobago in the 1970s and later became a U.S. citizen, opened a Garment District business selling fur coats before making his entrance in the entertainment field with his nightclubs.
For decades, Jaikaran operated the popular Calypso City, Rum Jungle and Maracas nightclub complexes in Queens, while promoting the Caribbean’s East Indian-inspired chutney and soca music through his JMC Entertainment firm and many other ventures, the Daily News said.
In Trinidad and Tobago, Jaikaran established a pair media outlets — WIN Radio 101.1FM (formerly Masala Radio) and the WINTV television station — and also served as vice chairman of Caribbean Airlines until 2013.
