Anerood Jugnauth

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir Anerood Jugnauth (अनिरुद्घ जगन्नाथ), KCMG, QC (born March 29, 1930) is the President and former Prime Minister, defence and interior minister of Mauritius.

He served as Prime Minister from 1982 to 1995, when he was voted out of office. Sir Anerood trained and worked in law and took an active role in the 1960s negotiations for independence. As leader of the Socialist Militant Party, he again became Prime Minister after elections in September 2000. His alliance partner, Paul Bérenger, of the Militant Movement, took over the post after serving as deputy for three years.

Sir Anerood Jugnauth was called to the Bar in London in 1954. His political career began with his being elected in the Constituency of Riviere Du Rempart in 1963. He was the President of the Palma Village council in 1964. In 1965, he joined the All Mauritius Hindu Congress. He also attended the London Constitutional Conference on Mauritius in 1965, and was State Minister of Development in the Government of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam in 1965-66 and the Minister of Labour from 1966 to 1967. Being the Leader of Opposition from December 1976 to June 1982, he joined the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) in 1980.

He founded the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) party in 1983. He was elected as the Prime Minister in 1982 for the first time, again in 1983, and for the third time from 1991 to 1995. His years as Prime Minister were marked with social tension, due to continuous hostility of the then-government towards the Muslim community. He was promoted to the rank of Knight by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II in 1980. He is also honoured with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards for his continued support for India’s causes and concerns, and for strengthening India’s relationship with Mauritius. He has been a torch-bearer of democratic aspirations in Mauritius. He expressed his country's readiness to establish strong economic ties, particularly in creating technology-based projects with high economic feasibility. Jugnauth is credited with the legacy of Mauritius’ "economic miracle" of the 1980s - a set of liberal policies such as the creation of a duty-free trade zone and establishing Mauritius as a leader in textiles production - which allowed the island to develop into an economic powerhouse in the region.

In 2003, he handed the leadership of his party to his son Pravind Jugnauth. He announced that "he had reached the end of this road." Anerood Jugnauth's announcement marked the end of a colourful chapter in Mauritian politics. In an island dominated by political families, the current Prime Minister and former leader of the opposition Dr Navin Ramgoolam is the son of the first post-colonial Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagar Ramgoolam.

Preceded by: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam	Prime Minister of Mauritius 1982–1995	Succeeded by: Navin Ramgoolam
Preceded by: Navin Ramgoolam	Prime Minister of Mauritius 2000–2003	Succeeded by: Paul Berenger
Preceded by: Karl Offmann	President of Mauritius 2003–	Succeeded by: Current Incumbent