Port Louis [Mauritius], March 10 (ANI): Indian diaspora members in Mauritius are eagerly preparing to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Holi festival and the country's National Day celebrations.

A community member expressed the enthusiasm surrounding the visit, stating, 'We always celebrate Holi with full enthusiasm. But this year's Holi is special because PM Modi is coming here ahead of it. He is our chief guest for the Independence Day. We wholeheartedly welcome him.'

Speaking about the diaspora's admiration for PM Modi, he added, 'No matter where he is, Modi ji influences the world around him. The fact that he is coming to Mauritius, it goes unsaid that the youth here feels a thrill of excitement, and everyone wants to meet the great man. He is doing great things in India and for the culture. Everyone is excited to catch even a glimpse of him, that's why the entirety of Mauritius has come together to welcome him, with preparations happening all over the place for the different festivities. We are singing songs to rejoice the occasion.'

The enthusiasm extends to students as well. A young member of the diaspora, a ninth-grade student studying Sanskrit, shared his excitement and nervousness ahead of his performance for the Prime Minister. 'I study in the 9th class. I also read Sanskrit. I am very excited to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but I am nervous as well. I will perform a Swagatam song along with my classmates...Around 12-15 of us will welcome PM Modi during the community event with our Sanskrit shloka.'

In the village of La Laura-Malenga in Moka District, residents are preparing special celebrations for the Prime Minister's visit, which coincides with Holi. The anticipation reflects the strong cultural and historical ties between Mauritius and India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Mauritius on March 11-12 at the invitation of Mauritian Prime Minister Naveen Chandra Ramgoolam. He will attend the country's National Day celebrations on March 12 as the chief guest. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the visit, stating, 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be a state visit to Mauritius on March 11 and 12th, 2025 to attend the National Day celebrations of Mauritius, which falls on 12th of March, as the chief guest, a contingent of Indian Defence Forces will participate in the celebrations, along with the ship from the Indian Navy.'

During his visit, PM Modi will meet with the President of Mauritius and hold discussions with Prime Minister Ramgoolam. This will be his second visit to the island nation, following his last trip in 2015.

Last month, Ramgoolam announced the visit in the Mauritian Parliament, stating, 'I have great pleasure to inform the House that following my invitation, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, has kindly agreed to be the Guest of Honour for our National Day celebrations. It is indeed a singular privilege for our country to host such a distinguished personality who is doing us this honour, despite his very tight schedule and his recent visits to Paris and the United States.'

Ramgoolam further emphasised that the visit highlights the 'strong and enduring relationship' between the two nations. With Mauritius preparing to celebrate its National Day, the visit is expected to further strengthen ties between the two countries. (ANI)