Minister of Arts and Culture: Mauritius launchpad of culture

Mireille Martin, the newly appointed minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare won the admiration of her audience at a memorial lecture organised by the Human service Trust at Calebasses on Sunday.

Opening her address in fluent Hindi she said, “I feel like Arjun from the Mahabharat at the Kurukshetra battlefield.” She was referring to the political controversy she has recently been subjected to. “My friendship with the HST dates from long back. It has and will remain constant, irrelevant of which seat I occupy in the assembly,” affirmed Martin.

The memorial lecture for Swami Krishnanand Sarawati’s 111th birth anniversary was inaugurated at the Rabindranath Tagore Institute, Ilot with a prayer.

“Swamiji was born on August 22 1900 and passed away on August 23, 1992 while in Mauritius. You are a divine child if your birthday coincides with Krishna Janamashtami, as is the case for him this year,” pointed out Mookhesswur Choonee, minister of Arts and Culture.

Filling his address with anecdotes, he described Mauritius as the launch pad of Indian culture for Africa.

Choonee further stated that the man had an enormous contribution in bringing the country freedom.

“Independence day is celebrated on March 12, the date on which Mahatma Gandhi had initiated the salt march in India. The swami was a disciple of Gandhi, and this date was chosen by him,” he said.

The event was also attended by members of the Hindu Maha Sabha, Sanatan Dharma Association, Tamil Association.