His Excellency, Mr. Dharambeer Gokhool
His Excellency Mr. Dharambeer Gokhool - widely known as Dharam Gokhool - is a distinguished statesman whose illustrious career spans across academia, public service, and politics. Born on October 25, 1949, in Plaines des Roches, Mauritius, he began his education at Roches Noires Government School and Mapou Government School before completing secondary studies at Northern College and St. Andrews School.
President Gokhool earned a BA (Hons) in History with Economics in 1973 and an MBA in 1975 from the University of Delhi, India, followed by an MSc in Human Resources from the University of Salford, Manchester, UK in 1987. His academic career includes pivotal roles at the University of Mauritius, where he served as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law and Management.
In this realm, his teaching specialties comprise notably: Human Resources Management, People Management in Organisations, Strategic Human Resource Management, and Individual in Human Resource Management. He has also taught Employment Relations and Employment Laws, Human Resource Development (HRD) and Organisation Development (OD), Training and Development, and Performance Evaluation.
During his tenure as Dean of Faculty, President Gokhool also served as a Member of the University Senate and of the University Court. From 2021 to 2024, he served as a member of the University of Mauritius Ethics Committee. In 1998, he served as a Member of the University Council as Deans’ Representative, for a period of six months.
From 2001 to 2005, President Gokhool served as the Chairman of the Mauritian Institute of Management and in 2007, was made Honorary Fellow of this reputable institute. His efforts and significant contribution to education and academic leadership, driven by his commitment towards social betterment, have received international recognition.
In 2008, he was bestowed the prestigious title of Officier de l’Ordre des Palmes académiques by the French government.
Political Engagement
His Excellency Mr Dharambeer Gokhool’s contributions and service to the people of Mauritius extend beyond academia. At that time, academics were allowed to engage actively in politics. Beginning his political engagement in 1976, he served as an elected member of Parliament during multiple terms, notably from 1982–1983, 1987-1991, and 1991-1995. He equally served as the Mayor of Vacoas / Phoenix from 1990-1991.
As the Minister of Education and Human Resources (2005-2008) and later Minister of Industry, Science and Research (2008-2010), he played a pivotal role in shaping key sectors in Mauritius via the implementation of transformative policies which were geared towards national development under the Labour government.
One such key policy remains the re-establishment of Form I to Form VI colleges in Mauritius, which enabled “non-star” colleges to retain bright talents and redouble their efforts to improve quality, in turn democratising the traditional elite and enhancing the standard of education offered by these secondary educational institutions. The policy constituted a major breakthrough in terms of social mobility, enabling students from deprived socio-economic backgrounds and enrolled in “non-star” colleges, mostly rural institutions, to excel under the laureate scheme and be rewarded on a meritocratic basis.
His Excellency Mr Dharambeer Gokhool was unanimously elected as the President of the Republic of Mauritius by the National Assembly on 6 December, 2024 and was sworn in on 7 December, 2024.
President Dharambeer Gokhool is married to Brinda Gokhool and has two children. His late father, Manilall Gokhool, was a labourer and late mother, Koshila Gokhool, a homemaker. One of his inspirations is Mr Abdool Raman Kasenally, the former Headmaster of Roches Noires primary school, whose support and guidance were instrumental in shaping his ethical ideals and opportunities for further studies. President Gokhool remains committed to values of leadership, mentorship, humanity, resilience and excellence.
Presidential Vision and Priorities
His Excellency Mr Dharambeer Gokhool has as his priority areas of focus: sustainable development and poverty reduction, democracy and human rights, the fight against drug abuse and trafficking, the improvement of public service delivery and good governance, the inclusion of senior citizens, underprivileged, persons with disabilities and the youth; leveraging the use of technology and innovation for social progress, and reinforcing the visibility of Mauritius at international level via strategic cooperation.
His areas of work also entail projects that tackle the erosion of social values and foster inclusive spaces through intercultural and interfaith dialogue, and commonly shared values, aspirations and experiences in order to provide a solid foundation and construct bridges to strengthen national harmony and unity in diversity.
The President of the Republic of Mauritius remains committed to upholding the freedom of speech and expression, notably the freedom of the press, with which he actively collaborates in the interest of the nation.
His Excellency Mr Dharambeer Gokhool emphasizes the necessity of profound political reform to align with the aspirations of the Mauritian populace, particularly the youth. He advocates for a reinvention of politics, promoting a new political culture that actively includes young people and values their contributions.
Recognizing the significant gap between current political practices and the expectations of the younger generation, President Gokhool calls for a “reset of the mindset” to foster a more inclusive and participatory political environment. He underscores the importance of translating the national anthem’s ideals—”as one people, as one nation in peace, justice, and liberty” – into reality.
In addressing the pressing issue of drug abuse, the President stresses the urgency of combating this scourge that devastates families and communities. He advocates for unwavering action against drug barons and traffickers, aligning with government initiatives to reorganize agencies like the National Agency for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Substance Abusers (NATRESA) for more effective rehabilitation and reintegration of victims.
President Gokhool also highlights the importance of national solidarity, urging collective action to support regions such as Agalega and to uphold the values of democracy and sustainable progress.
By fostering decisive action on critical issues, the President of the Republic of Mauritius aspires to build a more equitable, just, and prosperous future for all Mauritians.