More than nine years after her last visit, the leader of the Indian National Congress, Sonia Gandhi, arrived in Mauritius yesterday afternoon for a 24-hour visit. When she was here in 1995, she laid the foundation stone for the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre (RGSC) in Bell-Village. Hence, it seems very fitting that she should come back to officially open the centre as she was invited by the prime minister, Paul Bérenger, when he visited India last year. The RGSC is a joint project of the Indian and Mauritian governments. Sonia Gandhi was welcomed by deputy prime minister Pravind Jugnauth minister of Education Steven Obeegadoo and minister of Women's rights and Family welfare Arianne Navarre-Marie at the airport. Her short visit will be very busy: she will not only inaugurate the RGSC but will also meet the PM, the President of the Republic, Sir Aneerood Jugnauth, and opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam, among other political figures.