Jean Yves, you are sorely missed Jean Yves in no more. He passed away, missing Christmas by two weeks. Jean Yves had been struggling for his health for the past three years. He went to Switzerland for treatment and returned with a promise of plenty of good years ahead. But the illness reappeared after a short pause. This Senior Manager at Swan had a rich life in many respects. He had a lovely and caring wife in the person of Danny, two lovely daughters, Anne Lise and Sophie Claire and an adopted son. The Violette family treated all three children alike [...]

A late WhatsApp message last Sunday night from Rafick Santally informed me of the critical health condition of Siddick Chady, who was admitted to Artemis hospital due to a complicated heart condition. He did not survive the stroke after a bypass. I am saddened to see the departure of a man who devoted a great part of his life in the service of others, first as a doctor and then as an MLA and cabinet minister. He will be missed by many. Siddick comes from a well-known family in Rose-Hill. His grandfather was known by his first name of Abbas Khan, [...]

  In the precinct of Bois-Marchand cemetery today, I met a friend and during our conversation he came up with the following piece of wisdom: people who love you come to see you without fail especially on three occasions – your birth, your wedding and your death. We had been exchanging reminiscences after the burial of Abdool Rashid Mohamed, popularly known as Aid, pronounced Ayid. Aid was the third son of Sir Abdool Razack Mohamed and the only son who was a photocopy of Sir Abdool – quite naturally he had inherited many qualities of the Pater, and had some of [...]

OBITUARY YACOOB EBRAHIM DAWOOD. I, like many others, was sad to learn today, of the passing away of Yacoob Ebrahim Dawood at the ripe old age of 93. His departure leaves a big void in those who knew this likeable character, soft spoken, with a gentle smile and with humility in spades. While many people so often get lost in day-to-day superficiality, in all sorts of confusion and strife, Bhai Yacoob was someone who would create a space for stirring emotion; he had the vision and the clarity to make us feel a little wiser and happier. That is why my [...]

  TRIBUTE- YACOOB GHANTY “Our dead are never dead to us, Until we have forgotten them” It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing away of Yacoob Ghanty after a long illness. He belonged to that generation that produced some brilliant minds that came back from mainly Europe after their studies and in their own way contributed to the development of the country, especially as we were facing a major change by acquiring our political independence from Britain. Born in Port Louis in a family of traders specialising in textile products, he could have ended up joining [...]

OBITUARY KHALID TEGALLY KHALID Tegally’s passing away at 73 left those who knew him with a great sense of shock and loss. Shock, because he departed for ever at such a young age. He has left behind his wife Hazra, two daughters, two sons, all professionals, as well as four grandchildren. Khalid had a very successful and fulfilling life - good grades at HSC at Islamic Cultural College, a short teaching stint at his Alma Mater, a long stay in the UK where his father was settled and where he obtained his qualification as a lawyer. He returned to Mauritius to [...]

OBITUATY HASSEN KHADAROO. Hassen Khadaroo passed away on Tuesday 19 November and was laid to rest in Riche Mare. He leaves behind his wife Zubeida, 8 children, some in UK and Canada, and numerous grandchildren. I first met Hassen in late 1960s during a meeting of the Northern Islamic Association which hosted an important Egyptian delegation headed by Dr. Oweida and which offered to sponsor Mauritian students for University education in Cairo. The departed spent most of his professional life looking after his school which started with a modest size population in 1953. He was a great humanist who gave priority [...]