The Indian Immigration Archives hold nearly 2055 registers of original records and contain information for around 454,000 Indian Indentured Immigrants who came to Mauritius, from 1842-1910. The documents are identified as the P series, and consist of 15 subseries, 2 of them are found at the National Archives of Mauritius (PA & PB subseries), the remaining 13 as listed below are in the custody of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute.

PC Emigration Agency Certificates: Calcutta, Bombay & Madras. 

PD Marriage Certificates: Calcutta, Bombay & Madras. 

PE Arrival Lists: Calcutta, Bombay& Madras

PF Re-engagement Registers: Liberated Africans /Indian Indentured Labourers

PG Photographs of the Indentured labourers.

PH Vagrants: Photographs and Data

PI Ticket registers

PJ List of return Identification

PK Vagrant Identifications

PL Departmental records and miscellaneous letters.

PM List of return Identification/Conveyance: Register related to the series PJ

PN Indices: Despatches & Correspondances

PO Warrants

The Indian Immigration Archives contain records pertaining to the Immigration of indentured labourers. Records related to the arrival of the Indian free passengers are available at the National Archives of Mauritius.

Senior Lecturer | School of Fine Arts

Field of Specialisation: Art History and Art Theory

Dr. Hans Ramduth joined the School of Fine Arts in 2004, after having pioneered the training of advertising creatives at a private university in Mauritius.

He teaches various art history and art theory modules including modules on aesthetics and critical theory at post-graduate level.

His current areas of research are: Mauritian art history, cultural policies and creative economy issues for small island developing states, as well as the implications of globalisation on a range of art and media practices.

Dr. Ramduth is a Member of the African Team of Experts on the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. In that capacity he has worked as a consultant for the Ministry of Arts and Culture and produced a comprehensive roadmap for the development of the creative industries in Mauritius in 2013 (entitled Creative Mauritius: Vision 2020).

Dr. Ramduth is currently the Head of the School of Fine Arts (since January 2016).

Education:

PhD (University of Mauritius, 2015). Thesis entitled Exoticism and the dynamics of identity construction in the field of visual culture in Mauritius.

Bachelor in Fine Arts with Specialisation in History of Art, Visva Bharati University (Shantiniketan), West Bengal, India (1990 – 1995).

Major publications: Art in Mauritius, post independence issues and perspectives (MGI, 2007), a book-length study of the development of art in Mauritius after the independence.

Apart from academia, Dr. Ramduth has worked variously as cartoonist, illustrator, puppeteer, creative director, set-designer, scriptwriter, video and animation lead on various projects.

Lecturer | School of Fine Arts

Field of Specialisation: Animation

Mrs. Leena Ramduth joined the MGI (in 2010) as full-time lecturer in the field of Digital Arts with a focus on computer animation. She lectures in various animation techniques: traditional stop motion, 2D computer animation and 3D (CGI). She is specialised in character animation. 

Her current areas of research are the use of AR and VR in virtual reconstruction and 3D printing. 

She was the Head of Department Design and Communication (January 2016 to December 2017) and as such contributed to the development of the new Media Arts programme (undergraduate programme). During her headship she organized several meetings with executives from the industry, including figures such as Jalil Sadool (CEO of Steamrollerstudios, previously Lead animator at Weta Digital and at Dreamwork studios).  

Education:

She has a Master degree ( by research) from the University of Mauritius on the use of 3D visualization in virtual reconstruction of heritage sites (2012). 

The title of her research thesis was: 

• A virtual reconstruction of the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage 
• Site with a focus on the 48 hours' stay of the immigrants in the 
• 1860s: a proof-of-concept study to test the feasibility of using 3D 
• CG animation for the reconstruction of the whole site.

Prior to her Masters, she studied for a professional Post Graduate Certificate in Animation at the Graphiti School of Animation, the animation school founded by Ram Mohan, recognized as India's pioneer animator, in Mumbai (July 2008- May 2009) where she received training in CGI and 3D animation workflows.  She has a Bachelor degree in Culture and Arts with Specialisation in Multimedia Studies: Visual Multimedia,from the University of South Africa (2002 – 2008).

Mrs. Ramduth has over 10 years of local and international professional experience as freelance 2D animator, graphic designer, web-designer, Manager of Training Centre at Linkeo, trainer in web-design, creative co-director in television content production. 

She has experience in contemporary museum management issues, with a focus on virtual re-creation of historical artifacts. 

Academic projects she has worked on:

• 3D specialist on Hanging History Exhibition with Associate Professor Dr. Vijaya Teelock, GOSK, and Dr. Nalini Treebhoobun. 
• Reconstruction of the Reduit railway station under Dr. Chip Colwell from the Denver Museum, USA.
• 3D specialist on a film commemorating the Abolition of Slavery with the Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund (2013). 
• Consultancy and various projects for the MGI's Folk Museum of Indian Immigration.

She has participated in several Salon de Mai's of the MGI, using animation/ video/ installation. 

Lecturer | Department of Printmaking | School of Fine Arts MGI

Past

• Education Officer at Bon et Perpetuel Secours College, Beau-Bassin Jan 2015 – Apr 2017
• Resource Person at the MIE Oct 2015 - Nov 2015
• Lecturer at MIE (Full time) Jan 2015- Sept 2015
• Education Officer at Bon et Perpetuel Secours College, Beau- Bassin 2005 – 2015
• Lecturer at the School of Fine Arts MGI / UOM (Part-time) 2012 - 2016
• Trainer FDI (Part-time) 2013 – 2016
• Formation en Education a L’image - “Analyse Filmique” Volet 1 Feb 2015
• Formation en Education a L’image – “La realisation de film avec les enfants” Jul- Aug 2015

Qualifications:

• University of Brighton / MIE
  MA Education 2010 – 2012
• Visva- Bharati University, India
  MFA in Graphics (First class) 2006 – 2008

Exhibitions:

• Rhythm on Fire Exhibition 2015

• International Women’s Day Exhibition 2014
• Group Exhibition ‘No Titles’ at Port Louis Museum Gallery 2012
• Participate at ‘Salon de Mai’ Exhibitions 2004 – 12
• Painting exhibition : 150^th anniversary celebrations of Grudev Ravindranath Tagore 2011
• Phoenix Les Halles Expo 2009 – 10
• Leisure Events in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure 2004 – 05
• Environment project : AHRIM Environmental Charter Launch 2002

Research

‘I think that the arts are so close to our psychological and biological core, so close to this biological identity, that rather than think of arts courses as sort of whipped cream or luxury, they must become basic experiences in education.’ (Abraham Maslow)

Research studies have given me insights of a broader exposure to the knowledge about the field of art and education through theory and has propelled me into the school of Fine Arts, in the Printmaking Department well-equipped to face the coming challenges. My main objective is to ensure professional development through questioning and reviewing of my own practice as well as different aspects related to art education, particularly printmaking, in a critical way. I want to reflect on them with a broad minded approach to question, understand or find answers to current social issues. Consequently, research in art education whether theoretical or empirical are essential to professional practice. There is a need for teacher/lecturer to adopt what has been called an ‘extended professionalism’, that attitude to their work which makes them professionals in the full sense rather than mere practioners’ (A.V.Kelly, 1999). To achieve this level of professionalism, we need to acknowledge the importance of research in relation to theory, policy and practice in our evolution process. It has a major role to play in moulding a system that will ensure quality, effectiveness and relevance of art education to learners. As I advance in my research and my practice, I feel very enthusiastic in taking new challenges in the printmaking field, for instance moving towards non-toxicity of printmaking processes and relevantly engaging student in this particular artistic field. I hope that my endeavour will prove to be advantageous to the whole Fine Art school community where I intend to implement planned and guided innovations and accordingly connect theory and practice.