The annual celebration of the arrival of indentured labourers always filled us with mixed feelings of awe and admiration. The man behind the preservation and conservation of Apravasi Ghat is none other than Bickramsingh Ramlallah. He was the catalyst who strove hard against all odds to rekindle the once fading memory of our shared belonging. Today, a sense of pride and achievement overwhelms us when the Aapravasi Ghat is declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

Since 1970 Bickramsingh Ramlallah has moved heaven and earth to bring up the Aapravasi Ghat as a memento of the Indo-Mauritian history. The humble man from Montagne Longue stood by his convictions and principles and he even contributed from his own pocket to commission a bust of Adolphe de Plevitz which is now put up in the precincts of MGI. His disinterested commitment to the cause of Aapravasi Ghat to save it from decrepitude and oblivion gave him a place of honour he deserved in the history of Mauritius.

The part he played was outstanding and if today Aapravasi Ghat stands as a monument retracing the saga of the Indian labourers, from rags to riches and from ox-carts to brand new cars, it is thanks to the relentless efforts of Bickramsingh Ramlallah. He was a man of vision. There is also another person whom history is much indebted: Ramnarain Ramsaha ? the ex-commissioner of Social welfare. He saved the registers of Indian Immigration from destruction by white ants and the ravage of time and climate. The Indian Immigrants? Registers were kept in a pitiful state in the colonial days. These registers not considered as historical documents earlier were recorded by Sada J. Reddi in his book: ?Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo?: An opportunity to serve? All these registers would have gone into oblivion, had it not been the foresight and efforts of Ramnarain Ramsaha to transfer these invaluable documents of Immigrants? Registers to the National Archives. Finally they were confined to the MGI?s Folk Museum of Immigration for restoration preservation. And evidently we cannot forget the contribution of tireless Dr Hazareesingh in the preservation of such precious historical documents. En passant, it is a pity to learn that all the precious registers of Chinese Immigrants kept at the Chambre de Commerce Chinoises? Office formerly situated at Dr Joseph Riviere Street were all burnt away during a devastating fire in China Town. These documents constitute a terrible loss to the history of Mauritius.

Legacy of sweat and blood</B>