Seewoosagur Ramgoolam

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (शिवसागर रामगुलाम), LRCP, MRCS (18 September 1900, Kewal Nagar Mauritius ndash 15 December 1985, Port Louis Mauritus) was the Prime Minister of Mauritius from 1961 until 1982. As decolonisation swept the third world, he led his country to independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. He was Governor-General of Mauritius from 28 December 1983 until his death in December 1985. He graduated from University College London, and attended lectures at the London School of Economics. Ramgoolam was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 12 June 1965. [LondonGazette|issue=43770|supp=yes|startpage=8899|date=21 September 1965|accessdate=2008-01-10]

Sir Seewoosugur Ramgoolam was an ardent admirer of the late Mahatma Gandhi of India and followed in the footsteps of some Asian and African countries and worked ardently for his country to gain access to independence from the United Kingdom, making sure that there would be no bloodshed. He was finally granted independence on 12 March 1968. He was also responsible of the economic boom and bust that Mauritius came face to in the 1970s.Fact|date=June 2007

He was known as the Father of the Nation. Under British Rule Mauritius enjoyed economic stability. After the independence of 1968 many Mauritians emigrated to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia because there was a rise in unemployment and political instability.Fact|date=June 2007

References

* [http://ssr.intnet.mu/ Birth centenary celebrations of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam]
* [http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveViewFrameSetup.asp?webType=0&PageDuplicate=x0%20%20%20%20%20%20&issueNumber=43770&pageNumber=0&SearchFor=Ramgoolam&selMedalType=&selHonourType= London Gazette notice of Knighthood]