ROSE BELLE, MAURITIUS, August 15, 2002: On Tulsi Jayanti day, the foundation stone laying ceremony of Ramayana Center was performed by the Mauritian Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth. Prime Minister Jugnauth hailed the building as an historic event. Mauritius is the only country of the Indian diaspora that has built a Ramayana Center in its National Assembly. The chairman of the Center and noted Ramayana scholar, Rajendra Arun, said the institution would be developed as a learning center to promote teachings of Ramayana, a constant source of inspiration and strength to the Indian diaspora. Additionally, a fifty-foot statue of Hanuman will be erected. In a congratulatory message, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee commended this effort and praised Mauritius for having preserved the legacy of the Ramayana for succeeding generations. Swami Krishna Roopan, Ramakrishna Mission, and Swami Pranavanand, Chinmaya Mission, also blessed the gathering.
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