Mauritius: The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis, who is on an official visit to Mauritius, unveiled this evening a 12-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at the Maharashtra Bhawan in Moka, along with the Prime Minister, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.
The Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Alan Ganoo, the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, Nandini Singla and other eminent personalities were also present on the occasion organised by the Mauritius Marathi Mandali Federation to mark the Maharashtra and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Day. A cultural programme was also held on the occasion.
In his address, PM Jugnauth underlined that the gracious presence of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Fadnavis, shows how much he values the strong bonding between the Marathi community in Mauritius and Maharashtra.
The Prime Minister underpinned the valuable contribution of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in cementing the Marathi religion and culture and forging the cultural identity of the Marathi community in India. He was a great warrior and a just leader who won the admiration of Indians, he remarked.
PM Jugnauth laid emphasis on the importance of preserving all the different religious and cultural identities that thrive in the multicultural fabric of Mauritius. The values and good morals that are imbued in our rich cultural heritage should be transmitted to the young leaders of tomorrow, for it is poised to safeguard them from indulging in wrongdoings, he stressed.
The Prime Minister called for the strengthening of unity, harmony and patriotism, which he said will help the country progress. He recalled that in his capacity as Prime Minister, he is determined to provide the necessary support to sociocultural and religious groups representing all cultural groups in Mauritius so that all ancestral cultures are equally preserved.
Furthermore, he expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its unflinching support to Mauritius to advance its development agenda for the benefit of the whole population. As for the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis, he expressed gratitude to the Government of Mauritius and the Mauritius Marathi Mandali Federation for the unveiling of the statue of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mauritius, which he said is a testimony of his greatness. He praised the legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a visionary king, a brave and courageous leader, a person of valour and the most righteous king.
The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra expressed conviction that under the leadership of the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Prime Minister, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Mauritius will further cement its relations with Maharashtra and India.
He announced that in order to further deepen the cultural and business ties between Maharashtra and Mauritius, the following support will be extended to Mauritius: a sum of Rs.44 million (MRU) will be donated for the setting up of a multipurpose hall at the Maharashtra Bhawan; scholarships will be provided to ten students; a help desk will be set up for Mauritians of the Marathi community who want to connect to their ancestral roots; and a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Economic Development Board Mauritius and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, to allow business communities to interact.
On his part, Minister Alan Ganoo stated that it is an honour to have both Prime Minister Jugnauth and the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra grace the twin celebrations. He expressed gratitude to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for the generous donation of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose unveiling, he emphasised, is of great significance as it marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Mauritius.
The official visit of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra to Mauritius, he added, translates into an effective manner shared vision for the establishment of stronger relations between the state of Maharashtra, India and Mauritius.
Minister Alan Ganoo rejoiced that this will set the stage for a new era of cooperation between the state of Maharashtra and Mauritius and lift the relations between India and Mauritius to new heights.
The unveiling of the statue, he affirmed, is a fitting tribute to a patriotic hero and an exceptional leader whose forward-looking vision will continue to guide our future.
