Yesterday, in Bramsthan, family and friends gathered to celebrate the country’s 172nd centenarian, Mrs Kalowti Bhyroo, in the presence of the Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah; the Minister of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms, Mr Teeruthraj Hurdoyal; and other personalities.
To mark the occasion, the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity gave Mrs Bhyroo a cheque of Rs 21,836; a mini-oven; a bouquet of flower; the centenarian medal; and a certificate for her service. In addition, the National Solidarity Fund of the Ministry offered her a cheque of Rs 10,000. She also received some gifts from the Senior Citizen Council, and a cheque together with a bouquet from Flacq District Council.
In his address, Minister Bholah stated that the 100th birthday of Mrs Bhyroo was an important event and a great celebration. He said that the sacrifice made by Mrs Bhyroo, coupled with her personal discipline, a healthy lifestyle, and spiritual and religious practices, led to this extraordinary feat, that is living to a hundred years old. The Minister affirmed that Mrs Bhyroo was an example and a guide for her family, and urged family members and friends to pay her due respect as well as to seek her blessings.
For his part, Mr Teeruthraj Hurdoyal recalled the ways Mrs Bhyroo worked hard to enable her children to succeed, and the difficulties encountered throughout the years. He underlined that Mrs Bhyroo made the village of Bramsthan proud by becoming one of the 145 women aged 100 years old, while the figure for men stood at only 27.
Commending the family for looking after Mrs Bhyroo, the Minister underlined the various facilities and support provided by Government to the elderly, as Mauritius faced the demographic transition towards an ageing population. He thus encouraged families to protect and take good care of their older relatives.
Mrs Kalowti Bhyroo, known as ‘Dadi Bharki’, was born in the village of Alma and was the youngest of a family of five children, with all her four siblings having passed away. Her husband, whom she religiously married when she was 11 years old, was a tailor, and died at the age of 70 years old. She had eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom, six are alive. She has 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
To make ends meet, Mrs Kalowti Bhyroo used to rear cows and sell milk. She participated, until the age of 85 years old, in ‘Geet Gwawai’ and was famous for her dancing.
