Mauritius 1000 Rupees 2011

History

1000 Rupees 2011, KM# 70, Mauritius, Father of the Nation Platinum Series, Aapravasi Ghat

Obverse. Photo © Bank of Mauritius

Description

A platinum commemorative coin of Rs1200 denomination in proof condition has been issued on 27 November 2010. It is the second coin issued in the "Father of the Nation" Platinum series to pay tribute to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam in laying the foundation stone of the Mauritian nation.

Mauritius gained independence from the United Kingdom on 12 March 1968. The independence process was the culmination of a long struggle involving a number of political parties. Most notably the Mauritius Labour Party (MLP) and the Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate (PMSD).

In 1960, Harold Macmillan had made his famous "Wind of Change Speech" in the Parliament of South Africa in Cape Town in which he acknowledged that the best option for Britain was to give complete independence to its colonies. Thus, since the late fifties, the way was paved for independence. The General Election was held in 1967 with the pro-independence coalition of political parties winning 54% of the vote. Following the 1967 election the newly formed Mauritian government government was formed and passed an independence bill in the Mauritian Parliament.: 102 Mauritius experienced a period of instability in the days running up to the declaration resulting in the 1968 Mauritian riots before order was restored by the British authorities. On 12 March 1968 independence was officially declared at a ceremony at the Champ de Mars Racecourse.

Obverse	Device and tools (watch, compass, telescope etc.) Glasses Person (politician, revolutionary, entrepreneur) Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Bust of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam facing right enclosed by his name. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (1900–1985) was a Mauritian politician, statesman and philanthropist. He was a leader in the Mauritian independence movement, and served as the first Chief Minister and Prime Minister of Mauritius, as well as its sixth Governor-General. He was the Chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity from 1976 to 1977. As the leader of the Labour Party, Ramgoolam fought for the rights of labourers and led Mauritius to independence in 1968. As Mauritius' first Prime Minister, he played a crucial role in shaping modern Mauritius' government, political culture and foreign policy. He worked for the emancipation of the Mauritian population, established free universal education and free health care services, and introduced old age pensions. He is known as the "Father of the Nation". His son, Navin Ramgoolam, has had three terms as Prime Minister of Mauritius. DR THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR SEEWOOSAGUR RAMGOOLAM KT
Reverse	Depicts the Aapravasi Ghat, with the inscription "Rs1200" underneath within a circle surrounded by the inscription of series, country name, and the place. The Aapravasi Ghat, located in Port Louis, Mauritius, is a historically significant site that served as the Immigration Depot for indentured laborers from 1849 to 1923. As the first British colony to implement the large-scale indentured labor system, Mauritius saw nearly half a million Indian laborers pass through this depot to work on sugar plantations across the British Empire. The influx of these workers significantly shaped the demographic and cultural landscape of Mauritius, with over 68 percent of the current population tracing their ancestry to these immigrants. Despite extensive urban development that led to the partial destruction of the site, Aapravasi Ghat has been preserved as a national monument and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006 due to its pivotal role in the history of global migration and labor. FATHER OF THE NATION PLATINUM SERIES * MAURITIUS 2010 * Rs 1200 AAPRAVSI GHAT
Edge	Reeded (milled)