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Bihar honours its son with a statue

Back to the roots: Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, flanked by his wife and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after unveiling the statue of his father, former Mauritius Prime Minister Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, in Patna on Monday.

PATNA: Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam was accorded a civic reception here on Monday ahead of his visit to the village which his ancestors left about 136 years ago as an indentured migrant.

Living up to the traditions of the land, Dr. Ramgoolam with reverence paid his salutation with a touch of the soil and giving it a place on his forehead. The Mauritian Prime Minister is accompanied by wife Veena on his maiden three-day visit to the State.

His first official function was to unveil the statue of the first Prime Minister of Mauritius and his father Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.

The Mauritian Prime Minister was profusely extolled at the civic reception where he was referred to as “one among us” and not an outsider and prided on his accomplishments as that of his father.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hoped that he would come ever often for strengthening ties of the two peoples.

Dr. Ramgoolam said that it was an emotional moment for him to be on the land to which he belonged but had never seen. Underlining that life at times was much stranger than fiction, the Prime Minister outlined how his grandfather Moheet Ramgoolam had left his village, Harigaon in Bhojpur district, as an indentured migrant in 1871. “That was a journey of liberation of Mauritius.”

His grandfather might not have dreamt of the fact that his son would liberate the country of his adoption. Mauritius would be celebrating the 40th year of its Independence in a big way.

Dr. Ramgoolam also recounted his father’s association with Indian leaders and particularly with Subash Chandra Bose.

He promised to come again to Bihar. He will be visiting Harigaon on Tuesday.

“Welcome to your roots,” say posters and hoardings put up by the State Government at Harigaon village.

According to official sources, the government proposed to develop Harigaon as a model village and a tourist spot for the people of Mauritius.

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Bihar honours its son with a statue

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