Indian Diaspora in Mauritius Nation Building

Abstract

Mauritius is a beautiful island Country of African continent covered with plateaus, Mountains, Valleys, rivers, waterfalls and coral reefs,  located at 57°18’-57°46’ longitude east and 19°50’-20°32’ latitude south about 28 miles from east to west, 38 mile from north to south, 100 miles long coastline  and total area 720 square miles. Mauritians is 1500 miles from mainland of Africa and 2684 miles from Mumbai (India). Due to the coastal climate here, two seasons are found - hot cold (May – October), and hot summer (November- April)¹.

The history of human settlement in Mauritius is about 400 years old (16^th C.AD), before this it was a uninhabited island, although according to literary sources, people were familiar with this island², even before this (arrival of Arabs in 7^th C. AD, marking   of names of African countries in a map by Arab geographer Idris in 1153 AD, many historians claim that it was discovered by Arab traders in 1507 AD for the first time etc.) it was covered with thick ebony and dense date palm forest, Later, Mauritius was a European Colony till 1968, in liberating which the Indian expatriates played a major role.