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Though their hopes for a visit went unmet, villagers take pride in Harigaon producing two Mauritius PMs: Navinchandra Ramgoolam and his father, Sir Shivsagar Ramgoolam
The villagers hope for an invitation for Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam to visit his ancestral village in India and reunite with family members. (Local18)
Sweets were distributed and celebrations held in a village in Bihar, creating a festive atmosphere tinged with disappointment, as Mauritian Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam arrived in India for a state visit that included a programme in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency. Dr. Ramgoolam was received by the Indian PM, and discussions on state matters were held alongside the local festivities.
The village of Harigaon in Bihar’s Bhojpur district, the ancestral home of the Mauritian PM, had high hopes that Narendra Modi would announce a visit by Dr. Ramgoolam to their village. However, no such announcement was made, leaving the villagers somewhat disappointed but still proud that the son of their village had come to India as the PM of Mauritius.
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A descendant of Dr. Ramgoolam’s family in Harigaon remarked on the emotional connection between the village and Mauritius, noting that villagers closely follow political developments there.
The story of Dr. Ramgoolam’s family begins with his grandfather, Mohit Ramgoolam, who migrated to Mauritius as an indentured labourer from Kolkata port in the 1800s.
“This time, when he came to India, we hoped the Prime Minister would visit our village and make an announcement, but that didn’t happen. Even so, we are proud that Harigaon has given not one, but two Prime Ministers to Mauritius. We are especially delighted that a son of our village has come to India as a Prime Minister,” villagers said.
Despite their hopes for a visit, the villagers remain proud of their contribution to Mauritius, having produced not one but two Prime Ministers, including Dr. Ramgoolam and his father, Sir Shivsagar Ramgoolam, often referred to as the “Gandhi of Mauritius.”
Mauritius PM First Visited The Village In 2008
Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who first served as Prime Minister of Mauritius from 1995 to 2000 and again from 2005, visited his ancestral village in 2008 with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. This visit spurred significant development in the village, including the establishment of a school named after Sir Shivsagar Ramgoolam and the construction of a pond in his memory. The village of Harigaon, with a population of 5,000, experienced a wave of progress following this visit.
Harishankar Singh, a resident, noted that the school now has 800 students and has been upgraded to Intermediate level, necessitating a larger building. Panchayat head Tuna Baba expressed pride in the Prime Minister’s roots in their village but regretted that they could not personally congratulate him. They hope for an invitation for Dr. Ramgoolam to visit his ancestral village in India and reunite with family members.
On Thursday evening, Dr. Ramgoolam joined Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on a cruise to witness the Ganga Aarti and also offered prayers at the Baba Vishwanath temple.
Bhojpur, India, India
September 12, 2025, 14:14 IST
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