 multicultural blessed by nature's bounty. Mauritius, an inhabited for millennia Mauritius's early history saw it being passed between the Portuguese and the Dutch before being taken over by France which introduced slaves from India and Africa. Here they were so ill-treated that many ran away but their sufferings were soon to cease thanks to the British who won the islands from the French and abolished slavery. When slavery was abolished in 1835 nothing could retain the slaves on the sugar plantations. Desperately seeking cheap labor the British too looked to the east to Chinese free labor and Indian indentured labor for Girmatias. Girmitia agreement became Girmit ultimately we became Girmitia we became indentured laborers. Today a monument to the Girmitias first journey has been constructed at Kolkata's Demerara depot a tribute to them by the descendants and the land they left behind. Great migrations met great hardships a grueling voyage before a lighting at Apravasi Ghat. Here echo the footsteps of nearly half a million Indians who endured unimaginable suffering before their fortunes rose. My grandmother was working as a laborer and now I am the fourth generation and I'm a minister in the country just imagine from I said it from Girmitia to government. The first steps for self-rule began with the demand for it and the most vociferous of agitators for independence was Sir Shiv Sagar Ram Gulang and when Mauritius gained independence on 12th March 1968 he took over as the first prime minister. Independence is a blessing had he not been independence we would not have been so much advance in the country today. Because of Indians we managed to keep Mauritius on to keep the economy on. Our relationship India and Mauritius is one of blood. Culturally we kept close ties with with India. What is fascinating we will see people from different communities all watching the the the the Bollywood movies. I like watching Indian film. Diltopagalhe I really enjoy it. Many people that's me or you are Indian I said no I'm Mauritian because in Mauritius is the only place where I grew up with all the the food Chinese African European Indian food and it's all in my blood it's my vein. I like chapati. Mauritius is the melting point of cultures of traditions of languages of food and most of everything of art.