Satcam Boolell

Sir Satcam Boolell GCSK, MP, QC, Kt (born on September 11, 1920 in New Grove, Mauritius) was a Mauritian politician who served as member of the Legislative Assembly in Mauritius. He died on March 23, 2006 in Curepipe.[1] He was also known as "Somduth" by his peers and family members.[2]

Sir

Satcam Boolell

GCSK, MP, QC
High Commissioner in London
In office
1995–2000
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
1986–1990
Minister of Agriculture
In office
1968–1974
Minister of Education
In office
1967–1968
Minister of Agriculture
In office
1963–1967
Minister of Agriculture
In office
1959–1963
Personal details
Born(1920-09-11)11 September 1920
New Grove, British Mauritius
Died23 March 2006(2006-03-23) (aged 85)
Curepipe, Mauritius
Political partyMauritian Labour Party, Mouvement Patriotique Mauricien
OccupationLawyer

Early life and education

Born in 1920 on the Gros Billot sugar estate (between New Grove and GrosBois in Grand Port, to his father Sahadewoo Boolell and mother Cossilah Choony, Satcam Boolell grew up with five siblings.[3] In the mid 1800s his grandfather had migrated from the village of Singarmau located in Jaunpore, a district of Uttar Pradesh, India. His father Sahadewoo (born in 1879 and died in 1940 in New Grove, Mauritius) worked as a policeman and supplemented his income as a trader and supervisor at the Dookhee Gungah property where he grew vegetables and traded nursery plants. Sahadewoo Boolell joined the Arya Samaj movement where his son Satcam remained active throughout his life.[4]

Satcam completed his primary school education at Rose Belle Government School and completed his secondary school education through private tuitions in Mauritius. In 1938 started his teaching career as a volunteer before securing a teaching position at Plaine des Papayes Government School. Subsequently he became a teacher at Cassis Government School and later at Aryan Vedic School in Vacoas. From 1943 to 1947 he worked in the Civil Service at the Treasury Department and Department of Agriculture.[5] In 1948 he travelled to England to start his tertiary education at the London School of Economics.[6] After graduating with a law degree he was called to the bar at the Lincoln's Inn in 1952, before returning to Mauritius.[7]

Family

Satcam Boolell married Premila Indurjeet in Port Louis in 1946 and they had 3 children Arvin, Satyajit and Mira.[8] Premila Boolell died in 1986 and later Satcam married Myrta.[9] Their son Arvin Boolell is an active politician. His son Satyajit Boolell is Director of Public Prosecutions. His nephews Anil Gayan and Satish Boolell have also been active politicians in Mauritius. Satcam's daughter Mira is the wife of Sushil Khushiram who has been Minister of Industry and is a bank executive.[10] His nephew Prakash Boolell was a lawyer who was candidate at the 1976 General Elections.[11]

Political career

During colonial times preceding 1968 he was elected to the Legislative Council following the 1953 elections as an independent candidate. After being elected at the 1959 elections he became Minister of Agriculture in the colonial government of Mauritius. At the general elections of 7 August 1967 he became part of the new cabinet of ministers led by Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. From 1967 to 1968 he was Minister of Education.[12]

Following the 12 March 1968 accession of Mauritius to Independence he became Minister of Agriculture from 1968 to 1974. During this period he participated in the negotiations for the Sugar Protocol in Yaoundé and Lomé which were critical for the survival of the sugar industry. At the 1982 elections he was defeated but in 1983 Satcam Boolell was elected to Parliament. Thus in the cabinet led by Anerood Jugnauth he became Minister of Economy and Planning until 1984. From 1986 to 1990 he served as Deputy Prime Minister. Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Justice in various governments led by Anerood Jugnauth. In 1990 Satcam Boolell was dismissed from the ruling government after refusing to support the project to make the island a Republic.[13]

Following the electoral defeat of 1982 Sir Satcam Boolell was dismissed from the Labour Party, and he thus formed a new party Mouvement Patriotique Mauricien (MPM) before returning to the Labour Party in 1983.[14] He was president of the Labour Party (Mauritius) from 1984 to 1991.[15] Satcam Boolell was a candidate of Labour Party in Constituency No. 10 - Montagne Blanche and Grand River South East at the General Elections held on September 15, 1991. However he was defeated and did not take part in subsequent elections. Before retiring he was High Commissioner of Mauritius in London until 2000.[16]

He is credited for having led innovations at the Agricutural Marketing Board and facilitated agricultural diversification.[17]. Satcam Boolell also supported the Young Farmers Club, an initiative of Dr Clovis Vellin in the 1960s and 1970s to encourage small-scale and hobby farming in Mauritius.[18] [19]

Publications

Satcam Boolell published three books "Mauritius Through the Looking Glass: A Collection of Short Stories", "For the love of my country" and "Untold Stories et Reminiscences of travels abroad".[20][21][22] He also wrote opinion papers which were published in Mauritian newspapers such as Mauritius Times and L'Express.[23][24]

Recognition

In December 1976 Satcam Boolell was knighted.[25] Satcam Boolell was elevated to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star and Key of Indian Ocean (G.O.S.K.) in 1999.[26] Subsequently in 2006 he was post-humously elevated to the rank of Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of Indian Ocean (G.C.S.K.).[27] A statue of Satcam Boolell has been erected at Place d'Armes in Port Louis in recognition of his contribution to the development of agriculture.[28]

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gollark: Literal cryoapioforms.
gollark: Sawtooth waves.
gollark: Haar wavelets.
gollark: Periodic sigmoids concatted together.

References
  1. Boulle, Jérôme (2019-03-24). "Le 24 mars 2006 : funérailles nationales pour Sir Satcam Boolell". lexpress.mu (in French). Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  2. "Arvin et Satyajit Boolell : La fierté de leur père". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  3. "Sir Satcam Boolell". Uk Who's Who. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  4. Mulloo, Anand. "Decisive moments". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2006-03-25.
  5. Mulloo, Anand. "Decisive moments". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2006-03-25.
  6. "Farewell Sir Satcam". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2006-03-28.
  7. Rédaction. "Retour sur…Sir Satcam Boolell". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  8. Rédaction. "Retour sur…Sir Satcam Boolell". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  9. Karghoo, Christophe; Seblin, Michaëlla Seblin; Chinnapen, Stéphane; Bhugaloo, Yasmeen. "Deorishi raconte son frère". 5plus.mu. 5Plus. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  10. "Arvin et Satyajit Boolell: La fierté de leur père". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  11. "Ces dynasties qui règnent sur la politique". Defimedia Group. Business Mega. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
  12. "Satcam Boolell immortalisé". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  13. "Satcam Boolell immortalisé". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  14. "Satcam Boolell immortalisé". L'Express. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  15. "Hommage à Sir Satcam Boolell". Le Mauricien (in French). 2015-09-11. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  16. Turner, Barry. "The Statesman's Yearbook 2000". Macmillan Reference Limited. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  17. Mulloo, Anand. "Decisive moments". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2006-03-25.
  18. "Clovis Vellin, a lover of Mauritius and a pace setter". Week End. Le Mauricien. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  19. "Le directeur de la DWC, le Dr Clovis Vellin, limogé". L'Express. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
  20. "Satcam Boolell immortalisé". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  21. Boolell, Satcam (2000). Mauritius Through the Looking Glass: A Collection of Short Stories. Pentland Press. ISBN 9781858217550.
  22. Boolell, Satcam (1998). Reminiscences of Travels Abroad. Editions de l'ocean Indien. ISBN 9789990303223.
  23. Boolell, Satcam. "The Mauritian colony in the United Kingdom (II)". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2006-03-14.
  24. "Satcam Boolell immortalisé". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  25. 31 December 1976. "5th Supplement The London Gazette" (PDF). Fifth Supplement.
  26. "Sir Satcam Boolell". Uk Who's Who. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  27. "Prime Minister's Office (National Day Honours 2011)". Republic of Mauritius portal. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  28. "Vol plaque commémorative de sir Satcam Boolell". lexpress.mu. L'Express. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
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