Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar welcomes Mauritius prime minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam (right) at Patna airport. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Feb. 18: The representative of a home for Bihar residents away from Bihar came calling today showing warmth and camaraderie — a much needed balm for those turned away from Mumbai.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar proudly told reporters today: “The moment Mauritius prime minister, Navinchandra Ramgoolam, landed here, he touched Bihar soil and applied it on his forehead as a mark of respect to the native land of his forefathers”.

Ramgoolam, the Bihar CM said, brought Bihar the “warmth of the entire Bihari population” living peacefully in Mauritius for years. Kumar had visited Mauritius last year and invited the Mauritius PM to come to Bihar.

People from Indian origin, mostly from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, account for 68 per cent population of Mauritius. Indians first started migrating to Mauritius from 1834 to work as “indentured labour”.

The beginning of 20th century saw doctors, engineers, lawyers and scientists settling in the island country and shaping it.

Ramgoolam’s grand father Mohit Mahto, a resident of Harigaon in Bhojpur, had migrated to Mauritius in 1871. His son, known as Sir Seewosagar Ramgoolam, had helped the island country get freedom from British clutches in 1968. Mauritius became an independent democratic republic in 1992.

Ranvijay Mahto, a relative of Ramgoolam, said: “Today’s Mauritius has been shaped after efforts of migrant Biharis, who not only gave it an economy but its culture and civilisation.”

Ranvijay wondered why people like Raj Thackeray had been spewing venom against his fellow countrymen from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Sudhanshu Kumar Mishra, a senior research fellow at Patna University, added: “Ramgoolam’s family could be a classic case of a study in leading positive migration.”

Mishra said Nitish Kumar choosing to address Mauritius people in chaste Bhojpuri was a “deliberate attempt” to strike a bond to help in assimilation of cultures.

The Mauritius PM would visit his native village tomorrow where a half pucca mud house of his forefathers has been spruced up to welcome the illustrious guest. A village pond is now called Mohit Sarovar in respect of memory of Ramgoolam’s grandfather.

Ramgoolam’s village has never heard of “anti-Bihari or anti-Indian” tirades in Mauritius. The Bihar chief minister has already announced a 12-bed hospital, a museum, and a library at the village.

Rampravesh Mahta, a nephew of Navin Ramgoolam here, said: “I am thrilled with my august association. I wish to visit Mauritius to see uncle’s country closely.”

Devnarain Paswan, a village elder, said: “We had heard that one man from our village had gone to Mauritius in the late 18th century. Tomorrow when Navin Ramgoolam comes here, we will see what watan ki mitti means to a person.”