Dharam Gokhool

Dharambeer Gokhool (born 25 October 1949) is a Mauritian politician who has been serving as the president of Mauritius since 6 December 2024. He won the 2024 presidential election with the backing of the Labour Party. He is the first person belonging to a Dalit community in Mauritius who reached the position of president.

Gokhool was born on 25 October 1949 in the village of Plaine des Roches, Mauritius to a Hindu Ravived (local terminology for Chamars)^[2] family. His father, Manilall Gokhool, worked as a laborer, while his mother, Koshila Gokhool, was a homemaker. Growing up in a rural environment, he faced the everyday challenges of a working-class household but was encouraged by his family to pursue education as the key to advancement.^[3][4] He attended Roches Noires Government School, where he was considered an exceptional student, and then Mapou Government School.^[3] In 1975 he graduated with an MBA degree from Faculty of Management Studies – University of Delhi in India.^[3] After his studies there, he returned to Mauritius and became a member of the staff at the University of Mauritius, serving several positions including lecturer, associate professor and dean of the faculty.^[3] His journey from a humble village upbringing to academic excellence abroad shaped his lifelong commitment to education, equality, and social upliftment, which later became central themes in both his academic and political careers.

Gokhool began his political career in 1976.^[5] In 1980, he joined the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) party. In 1982, he won election to the National Assembly as part of the MMM/Mauritius Socialist Party (PSM) alliance which won a landslide victory that year. After the MMM and PSM split, Gokhool stayed with the MMM and ran for re-election in 1983, but lost his bid for the Piton-Rivière-du-Rempart seat. In 1991, he returned to the legislature by winning a seat under the MMM/Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) alliance. However, during his term he defected to the Labour Party.^[5]

Gokhool also served as the mayor of the town Vacoas-Phoenix from 1991 to 1993. He was a parliamentary private secretary from 1993 to 1994 and after joining the Labour Party, served as the party's administrative secretary in 2003, then was the secretary general from 2004 to 2005.^[3] During the administration of Navin Ramgoolam, Gokhool served as Minister of Education from 2005 to 2008.^[4][5] Following that, he became the Minister of Industry, Science and Research and held that role from 2008 to 2010.^[3] After the 2014 elections, he was a candidate for vice president, although he was not chosen for the position.^[4]

Gokhool was officially nominated for the presidency of Mauritius on 6 December 2024, following the completion of Prithvirajsing Roopun’s term. His nomination came after consensus-building among the main parliamentary forces, with the National Assembly unanimously electing him as the 8th President of the Republic of Mauritius. The decision reflected both his long service as an academic and politician and his image as a unifying figure acceptable across party lines. The nomination carried strong symbolic weight as well, since Gokhool comes from the Ravived community, a historically marginalised group, making his elevation to the presidency a milestone in the island’s political and social landscape.^[6]

As President, his role is largely ceremonial and constitutional, since executive power in Mauritius rests with the Prime Minister and Cabinet. However, his appointment carried important symbolic value, coming from the Ravived (Ravidassia/Chamar) community, his rise to the highest office of the republic marked a significant milestone in the social and political empowerment of historically marginalised groups. Gokhool has emphasised themes of education, unity, and equality, pledging to serve as a guardian of the Constitution and a unifying presence for all Mauritians.^[7] He officially took the oath of office on 7 December 2024 at the State House, Reduit, in a ceremony attended by the Prime Minister, Cabinet members, opposition leaders, and representatives of various socio-cultural organisations and awarded as the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean. In the same session, Robert Hungley was elected as his vice president.^[8]

On 11 March 2025, Indian PM Narendra Modi met Mauritian President Dharam Gokhool during an official state visit to Mauritius, a meeting that underscored the historic, cultural, and strategic partnership between the two nations. At a ceremonial event in Port Louis, President Gokhool conferred on Modi the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK), Mauritius’s highest civilian honor,^[9] in recognition of his role in strengthening bilateral ties. The meeting symbolised the shared heritage of India and Mauritius, rooted in the large Indian-origin community on the island, while also reaffirming commitments to cooperation in trade, education, maritime security, and cultural exchange. For President Gokhool, presiding over the ceremony was also significant, as it reflected Mauritius’s continuing role as a bridge between Africa and India, while for Modi, the honor marked a deepening of India’s influence in the Indian Ocean region.During his visit, Modi also visited the State House and gifted Gokhool gangajal from the 2025 Prayag Maha Kumbh Mela, makhana, and an OCI card. Dharam Gokhool also showed Narendra Modi the Ayurvedic garden at the State House. PM Navin Ramgoolam also attended the State House.^[10]

• Mauritius:
  • Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean
• France:
  • Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (22 November 2025)^[11]

• Chamar
• Ravived
• Ravidassia
• Guru Ravidass
• Sant Haralayya
• Madara Chennaiah