Acknowledgments

This work is based on my doctoral thesis, which I completed at SOAS, University ofLondon.

I am grateful to my former supervisor, Professor Matthew Craven, who allowed me to experience the true meaning of academic freedom and provided the sup­port to progress at critical junctures.

Many thanks are due to the members of my family, for assisting and endur­ing the process that is involved in producing original research. I wish to express my gratitude to both of my parents for raising me in consciousness of my roots, thereby providing the original inspiration for this study. In particular, I am deeply grateful to my father for his unfailing support and belief in me, the value of which cannot be put in words.

Special thanks are due to my children Raunakh and Maheera, for giving up much of the time and attention they would have been entitled to over the years. This work represents their heritage in more ways than one and is my gift to them.

I am grateful to the sister of my heart, Dr Yuko Kanda, who did not grow up with me, but was with me when I had to grow up. Her presence brought joy in the darkest moments.

I wish to thank Mr Peter Lampier, former tutor and colleague, who had been my mentor since undergraduate days, and Dr Chaloka Beyani, my LLM supervi­sor, for his support of my PhD application.

My gratitude extends to all the helpful staff at the various libraries and archives where I conducted my research, especially Mr Vishwanaden Govinden of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute in Mauritius.

Most of all, I thank the empyrean guidance, which in its various manifestations is ever present in my life.