Armoogum Parsuramen
Armoogum Parsooramen, is a Mauritian politician, social worker and former minister.
Early life, education and career
Armoogum Parsooramen grew up with his six brothers and four sisters in Cap Malheureux, a historic village located on the northern coast of Mauritius. His father Vela was a vegetable grower and his mother Rookoo was illiterate. After completing his secondary education at Friendship College and Bhujoharry College he started working as a teacher at Friendship College whilst continuing his tertiary education at the University of Mauritius. In 1978 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration.Political career
Armoogum Parsooramen's political career started as president of the Village Council of Petit Raffray in 1978. In 1979 he became president of the Northern District Council. After joining Harish Boodhoo's party PSM he was elected to parliament for the first time in 1982 in Constituency N° 6 after standing as candidate of the victorious PSM-MMM coalition. When Boodhoo's PSM was dissolved during the political crisis of 1983, to enable the creation of Jugnauth's MSM, Parsooramen became a prominent figure within the new MSM.He was again elected to Parliament at the 1983, 1987 and 1991 general elections. In 1983 his running mates at Constituency No.6 were Sattyanand Pelladoah and Madan Dulloo within the MSM-PTr alliance; they defeated MMM's Fokeer, Toposee and Etwareeaa. At the 1987 general elections Parsooramen formed part of the MSM-PTr coalition which defeated MMM's Prem Mungur, Dharmanand Fokeer and Satish Geemul. In 1991, along with his running mates Madan Dulloo and Dharmanand Fokeer of the MSM-MMM coalition, he defeated Xavier Duval, Kailash Purryag Purryag and Gyan Guttea.
During the four consecutive terms in office Parsooramen served as Minister of Education, Arts and Culture as well as Minister of Education and Science until the general elections of 1995, during which he was Campaign Manager of the MSM.