Kailash Purryag

Rajkeswur Purryag, GCSK (born 12 December 1947, also known as Kailash Purryag) GCSK, GOSK is a former Mauritian politician who served as President of Mauritius from 2012 to May 2015.[1][2] He was elected as the fifth President of Mauritius by the National Assembly and took office on 21 July 2012. He succeeded Sir Anerood Jugnauth, who spent nine years as President from 2003 until resigning in March 2012. Kailash Purryag previously served as Member of Parliament, Minister and Speaker of the National Assembly; he made his debut in the political arena at an early age in 1976.[3]

The Honourable Grand Commander Grand Officer Kailash Purryag GCSK GOSK
5th President of Mauritius
In office 21 July 2012 – 29 May 2015
Prime Minister	Navin Ramgoolam Anerood Jugnauth
Vice President	Monique Ohsan Bellepeau
Preceded by	Monique Ohsan Bellepeau (Acting)
Succeeded by	Monique Ohsan Bellepeau (Acting)
Speaker of the National Assembly
In office 12 July 2005 – 20 July 2012
Preceded by	Prem Ramnah
Succeeded by	Razack Peeroo
7th Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius
In office 22 December 1997 – 17 September 2000
Prime Minister	Navin Ramgoolam
Preceded by	Paul Berenger
Succeeded by	Paul Berenger
Personal details
Born	Rajkeswur Purryag 12 December 1947 Camp Fouquereaux, British Mauritius
Political party	Labour Party (1973-present)
Spouse(s)	Aneetah Purryag (1973–present)
Children	1
Occupation	Politician (retired)
Profession	Law attorney

Biography

Rajkeswur Purryag, better known as Kailash, was born on 12 December 1947 in Camp Fouquereaux, Mauritius. He is a Bihari Mauritian and his ancestors originated from the Indian state of Bihar.[4] He attended the Shree Shamboonath Government School and later the Mauritius College. He was sworn in as attorney-at-law in 1973. The same year he joined the Mauritian Labour Party. He became general secretary of the party in 1984 and president in 1995.[5][6]

Career

Kailash Purryag became a member of the Labour Party in 1973. He was a member of the Municipal Commission of the Municipal Council of Vacoas-Phoenix from 1974 to 1976. Purryag was elected member of the Legislative Assembly for the first time at the 1976 elections held on 20 December 1976 as one of the three members for Constituency No. 15 (La Caverne & Phoenix) of the Independence Party (coalition of Labour & CAM).[7] Purryag became Minister of Social Security from January 1980 to June 1982. In 1981, he was appointed as Leader of Delegation by the Government to negotiate adequate compensation for the Ilois Community in 1981 from the British Government. At the 1982 elections Purryag was not elected when he was candidate at Constituency No.15.[8] As a PMSD candidate in Constituency No.17 (Curepipe-Midlands) at the 1983 elections (held on 21 August 1983) he was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly and became Minister of Health from January 1984 to January 1986.[9] Purryag was not a candidate at the 1987 elections and at the 1991 elections he was not elected when he stood as candidate in Constituency No.6.[10][11] He served as Secretary General of the Labour Party from 1987 to 1991 and became President of the Party from March 1991 to March 1996. Purryag was elected Member of the National Assembly at the general election held on 20 December 1995. He became Minister of Economic Planning, Information & Telecommunications from December 1995 to July 1997. He was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Trade from July 1997 to September 2000. On 12 July 2005, he was elected Speaker of the National Assembly and was re-elected as Speaker on 18 May 2010, and remained in that post until 2012.[12][13]

On Friday 20 July, the Clerk of the National Assembly of Mauritius informed the House that, immediately following his election as President of the Republic at to-day's sitting, the Honourable Rajkeswur Purryag, GCSK, GOSK, has submitted his resignation as Speaker of the National Assembly.[14]

President

As stated on the Section 28 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Mauritius, the President shall be elected by the Assembly on a motion made by the Prime Minister and supported by the votes of a majority of all the Members of the Assembly. On 20 July 2012, the National Assembly elected Rajkeswur Purryag as President of Mauritius. The motion was presented by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and seconded by Rashid Beebeejaun.[14] Kailash Purryag became the fifth President of Mauritius and took office on 21 July 2012. His first official visit was at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden, where he meditated at the monument of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the father of the nation.[15]

Following the victory of the MSM/PSMD/ML alliance led by Sir Anerood Jugnauth in December 2014, he was expected to resign to make way for the alliance's candidate, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, to assume the Presidency instead. In an official communique from the State House, he confirmed that he made an agreement with Jugnauth to remain as President up to May 2015 to ensure the hand over of power from the Ramgoolam administration to the new government in a climate of stability. He eventually resigned on 29 May 2015.[16]

Presidential styles of Kailash Purryag 2012 to 2015
Reference style	His Excellency, Mr. Kailash Purryag, President of the Republic of Mauritius
Spoken style	President Purryag
Alternative style	Mr. President

Honours

Purryag receives Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from President of India in 2013

He is recipient of both highest order merits in Mauritius. He was elevated as Grand Officer of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GOSK) on 12 March 1998 and Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK) on 12 March 2009.[17] He received the Conferment of Honorary Freedom of the City of Port Louis on 23 August 2007.[12] On 9 January 2013, Purryag received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest honour conferred to overseas Indians at the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.[18]

Personal life

Kailash Purryag was living at Camp Fouquereaux, Curepipe before he became president, he is the eldest of a family with nine children, he is married to Aneetah Purryag since 8 December 1973, he has a daughter and two grandchildren.[6] During a state visit to India in January 2013, Purryag visited the village of his forefathers in Wajitpur, Patna. His great grandfather Lakshman Paryag sailed to Mauritius some 150 years ago to work as Indentured labourers.[19][20]

See also

• List of Presidents of Mauritius
• First Lady of Mauritius
• Vice-President of Mauritius
• Prime Minister of Mauritius

References

1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
3. "Kailash Purryag becomes the fifth President of the Republic of Mauritius". KotZot. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
4. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Im-proud-to-be-a-Bihari-says-Mauritius-president/articleshow/17918798.cms
5. "Purryag for President" (in French). defimedia. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
6. "Dans l'intimité du couple présidentiel – Aneetah Purryag : " Je suis tombée amoureuse de Kailash au premier regard "" (in French). defimedia. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
7. "Results of 1976 elections". Office of Electoral Commissioner. Government of Mauritius. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
8. "Results of 1982 elections at No.15". Office of Electoral Commissioner. Government of Mauritius.
9. "Results of 1983 elections". Office of Electoral Commissioner. Government of Mauritius. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
10. "Results of 1991 elections at No.6 Grand Baie Poudre D'Or". Office of Electoral Commissioner. Government of Mauritius. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
11. "Results of 1987 elections" (PDF). Office of Electoral Commissioner. Government of Mauritius. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
12. "Career of the President". Government of Mauritius. Archived from the original on 14 November 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
13. "Bio-data of The Speaker, PURRYAG Rajkeswur". Government of Mauritius. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
14. "National Assembly – Speaker becomes President of the Republic New Speaker takes office" (in French). defimedia. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
15. "Première sortie du Président – Kailash Purryag sur la tombe de SSR" (in French). defimedia. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
17. "Profile of the President". Government of Mauritius. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
18. "Mauritius President among Pravasi awardees". The Economics Time. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
19. "Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag finds his ancestral roots in Bihar". India Today. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
20. "I'm proud to be a Bihari, says Mauritius president". Times of India. Retrieved 16 January 2012.