India-Mauritius : Joint Issue

Bird India Souvenir Sheet

November 2, 2023

India-Mauritius : Joint Issue

Complete set of 2 nos. of commemorative postage stamps on 75^th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between India and Mauritius : National Bird : Indian Peacock and Mauritius Kestrel :

Issued by India

Issued on Nov 2, 2023

Issued for : Department of Posts is delighted to issue Joint Stamp on 75^th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relationship between Indian and Mauritius and celebrates the rich and strong bond of the natural alliance between two nations.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure : Mr. Anuj Kumar
Cancellation Cachet : Mr. Anuj Kumar

Type : Souvenir Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 2500 Paise

Souvenir Sheet Price : 2500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 1.11 Lakh

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About :

India and Mauritius share a longstanding bilateral relationship that spans several decades. While formal diplomatic relations began 75 years ago in 1948, the arrival of Indians in Mauritius dates back to the early 18^th century, when Indian artisans and masons were brought to Mauritius under French Colonial rule.
In the 19^th and early 20^th century, about half a million Indian indentured workers were brought to Mauritius under British rule, out of which, about two-thirds settled down in Mauritius. The first batch of 36 indentured workers arrived in Mauritius on 2^nd November 1834 and 2^nd November is now celebrated every year as ‘Aapravasi Diwas’.
Mahatma Gandhi visited Mauritius in 1901 and exhorted Indian workers to educate themselves and become politically empowered. During the struggle for independence from British rule, Indian and Mauritian leaders were in regular contact. Soon after India became independent, India deputed Shri Dharam Yash Dev as the first Indian Commissioner to Mauritius in September 1948. The spirit of Indian nationalism became a source of inspiration for Mauritius and when Mauritius became independent 20 years later, India’s diplomatic representation was upgraded to a High Commission. There have been 27 Commissioners/High Commissioners of India to Mauritius in the last 75 years. In a lasting tribute to these close ties, 12^th March, the date on which Gandhiji began his Dandi March, was chosen as the Mauritian Independence Day.
Since independence, both India and Mauritius have been walking hand-in-hand in their journey of nation building, economic growth and development. From being a low-income, monocrop economy, Mauritius has emerged as a beacon of democracy, pluralism and prosperity. The bonds between the two countries have grown stronger over the decades with close operation in maritime security, development partnership, capacity-building, culture, people-to-people ties, and cooperation in international fora.
The close bonds between India and Mauritius are evident in the numerous India-assisted development projects that dot the Mauritian landscape, such as the Metro Express, the Social Housing Project, the Cyber Tower, the ENT Hospital, the new Supreme Court building, Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, Rabindranath Tagore Institute, Upadhyay Training Centre, Swami Vivekananda Conference Centre, etc. New projects like Civil Services College, Police Academy, Forensic Sciences Laboratory, the National Library & Archives, the 8MW Solar Power Project, continue to contribute to Mauritius’ economic and social development. Mauritius is also one of the largest beneficiaries of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) capacity building programme, with more than 365 Mauritians trained every year in India.
The two countries have traditionally enjoyed close economic ties. Mauritius has been a top source of Foreign Direct Investment into India, while India has been one of Mauritius’ top trade partners. To further boost economic exchanges, the two countries signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) in 2021, which is India’s first such trade agreement with any African country. With this, Mauritius stands uniquely poised to attract Indian investment and serve as a gateway for investments into Africa.
Indian music, dance, and cuisine are an integral part of Mauritian culture. Hindi is also widely spoken in Mauritius, and Bollywood movies have a significant following. The enduring cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Mauritius are nurtured by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (India’s largest cultural center abroad) and the World Hindi Secretariat, a bilateral organization set up in Mauritius to promote Hindi globally. The Government of India has also helped set up the Mahatma Gandhi Institute in Mauritius, which is dedicated to promoting Indian culture and language as well as the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre to promote Science.
People-to-people exchanges are at the heart of India–Mauritius bilateral relations. Several thousand Mauritians visit India every year for tourism, shopping and medical treatment. Likewise, Mauritius is a popular destination for Indian tourists, with its pristine beaches and luxury resorts. Over 500 scholarships were provided to Mauritian students to study in Indian universities last year, and there are several Indian educational institutions operating in Mauritius. Through initiatives such as the ‘Know India Programme’ and the ‘NCC Youth Exchange Programme’, there is an ongoing effort to establish a connect between the younger generations of both countries.
Reflecting the special bilateral relationship between the two countries, Mauritius has been invited as a ‘Guest Country’ to participate in the G20 Summit during India’s G20 Presidency, starting from 01 December 2022. With several new partnership initiatives and development projects in the pipeline, Mauritius–India relations are set to further strengthen in the years to come. The joint issue of this postage stamp to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations is a testament to the strong ties between India and Mauritius and a symbol of their enduring friendship.
The Mauritius Kestrel, Falco punctatus, was declared as the National Bird of Mauritius on the occasion of the 30^th Anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius on 12 March 2022. An endangered species, the Mauritius Kestrel is endemic to the island of Mauritius. It usually nests in natural cavities on cliffs, ravines and trees in the south-eastern and south western regions of the island. The upper part of the Kestrel’s plumage is brown with black barring, while the under part is white with dark spots.
The ‘Mauritius Kestrel Recovery Programme’ being implemented since 1973, under which, Kestrel chicks have been hand reared and successfully translocated to endemic regions of Mauritius, is hailed today as one of the world’s most successful initiatives to save a bird species from extinction.
The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus, is a colourful, swan-sized bird, with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck. The male of the species is more vibrantly colourful than the female, with a glistening blue neck and chest, and a spectacular bronze-green tail comprising around 200 elongated feathers.
In 1963, the Indian Peacock was declared the National Bird of India, since it embodies India’s rich fauna and is considered sacred in Indian mythology and culture. With its magnificent iridescent blue-green plumage, and attributes such as joy, beauty and grace, the Indian Peacock embodies the vibrant spirit of India.
Text : Referenced from content provided by Ministry of External Affairs.