Mrs Lutchmin Uppiah, the 175th centenarian of Mauritius, celebrated her birthday this afternoon, at Nouvelle-France.
Mrs Lutchmin Uppiah was born on 15 September 1921 at Rose Belle Estate in a family of three children. Her father was an indentured labourer coming from India and her mother was a housewife. Mrs Uppiah never went to school and got religiously married when she was sixteen years old. The civil marriage was conducted on 3rd November 1951. From this union she had ten children. She now has 31 grandchildren and 49 grandchildren. Mrs Lutchmin Uppiah continued to work as a labourer up to the age of 70 years old.
The Chief Government Whip, Ms Naveena Ramyad, and the Chairperson of the District Council of Grand Port, Mr Rajeev Kumar Jangi, were present on the occasion.
Mrs Lutchmin Uppiah received from the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity a cheque amounting to Rs 21,836, a flower bouquet, a centenarian medal along with a certificate and a vacuum cleaner. A present was offered by the Senior Citizens Council as well as a cash gift of Rs 10,000 by the National Solidarity Fund. Mr Rajeev Kumar Jangi gave to Mrs Uppiah a cheque of Rs 5,000 and a flower bouquet.
In her address, Ms Naveena Ramyad lauded the initiative of the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity to celebrate centenarians and pay homage to them. She pointed out that our elders have contributed to the country’s progress and that they are to the new generation, a gift and a heritage, towards whom due respect should be paid.
Ms Naveena Ramyad underlined that Mrs Lutchmin Uppiah was born before the independence of Mauritius and has thus witnessed and gone through the various related struggles. She also experienced life differently as a daughter, a wife and a grandmother with the changing socioeconomic landscape of the country, observed Ms Ramyad.
In addition, the Chief Government Whip expressed gratitude to the centenarian’s family for their constant support, which she emphasised, has contributed to Mrs Uppiah’s longevity, which she deemed as a life achievement. Ms Ramyad further stated that the family of Mrs Uppiah is a leading example of how to treat elders with due respect and dignity.
Moreover, the Chief Government Whip reiterated Government’s commitment to provide the necessary support and facilities to the elderly, including through the pension schemes. Government recognises their significant contribution to the country’s socioeconomic progress, and will continue to give our elders their deserving respect and dignity, she stressed.
