About                            Indian Ocean Medical Institute Trust's                            Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Mauritius (Established-1999) (SSR Medical College is Recognised by the Medical Board of California, U.S.A & listed in the IMED/ECFMG, U.S.A; and WHO) HISTORY: The Indian Ocean Medical Institute Trust (IOMIT) was established in 1996 with the avid objective of promotion of education and learning and setting up a medical college in Mauritius in the name of the 'Father of the Nation' late Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR), who incidentally was a doctor also. Mr. R.P.N.Singh, an educationist and social planner from India is the Founder Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Trust for Life. The SSR Medical College was inaugurated on 18th Sept.1999 by Dr the Hon. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius. Being the first medical college in Mauritius, the idea has been to setup & develop a campus of international standards, which has subsequently become the nerve center of medical education not only in the southern African region but in the whole of Indian Ocean Rim countries including Malaysia, India, Africa and the Gulf region. Following the sterling success of the SSR Medical College, Mauritius- the land of sun, sand and shooting stars, is fast emerging as a  ‘Knowledge Hub’ and center of medical education in the Indian Ocean Rim region. Students (mostly from the Diaspora) from 14 countries such as India, Nepal, the U.K., USA, Canada, Austrailia, New Zealand, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, UAE, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh  have taken admission at the SSR Medical College.  The  visionary Prime Minister of Mauritius could immediately foresee the long term value of such a medical campus for the country which would establish Mauritius as an education exporting country and brain service destination in the entire Indian Ocean Rim region and transform Mauritius 'from a land of leisure to a land of learning'. The policy planners of the Government of Mauritius including the representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education Science & Technology, Ministry of Economic Planning, International Trade and Development, Tertiary Education Commission, University of Mauritius and Chairman of the IOMIT deliberated together the modalities and setting up of the SSR Medical College in a Task Force under the Central Policy Analysis and Evaluation Unit, Prime Minister's Office, Government of Mauritius. It was mandated by the Task Force to set up the SSR Medical College in affiliation to the University of Mauritius, which would award the Graduate (MBBS) and Post Graduate (M.D./M.S.) degrees. The SSR Medical College is spread over about 25 acres of land provided by the Government with buildings covering an area of about 1,75,000 sq.ft. housing the Pre-clinical and the Para-clinical departments. The Ministry of Health and Quality of life has promised 'unflinching support' and provides  state of the art J L Nehru, Victoria SSR and other specialty hospitals having more than 1000 beds for the clinical training of the students of the SSR Medical College. The long cherished dream of our Chairman and like-minded people from India and Mauritius as well as the desire of the Mauritian people to have a medical college in Mauritius, has now become a reality with the active and avowed support of the Government and the people of Mauritius.   Global RECOGNITION: The MBBS degree of the SSR Medical College has been recognised by the Medical Board of California, USA and the SSR Medical College has been recognised for listing in the IMED/ECFMG, USA and the WHO. The listing can be viewed on the respective websites. This enabled our medical graduates to register and practice medicine across the world and specially in the USA and California, where recognotion rules are the toughtest. As a result, more than hundreds of our medial graduates are already practicing medicine in most reputed hospitals like Mt Sinai, Johns Hopkins's  USA/ UK/ France and in many other developed countries  Recognition by the MCI.: As per regulations in India, any Indian citizen with a foreign medical graduate degree (FMG) has to pass the screening test, held twice every year by the National Board of Examination, Govt of India.  Though this screening test is stringent, the SSR medical College graduates have the stellar record of having 100% pass rate. which speaks of the level of teaching and training at the College. The list of all our graduates, who have cleared this Screening test and are registered with the Medical Council of India can be viewed at our website. The Country: "Mauritius was made first and the paradise was copied after it"  Mark Twain the famous American wrote in his book "Following the Equator". This paradise is located on the 20th parallel just north of the tropic of Capricorn, 1265 miles from the east coast of Africa, and about 2500 miles in the south west of the Indian coast. The Country and the location of the SSR Medical College can be seen on the Google Map. Passing through myriad vicissitudes, it was finally occupied by the British in 1810 after the Napoleonic wars. Mauritius achieved independence on 12th March, 1968 with Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam as its first Prime Minister and was proclaimed a republic on 12th March 1992. Mauritius today is universally acknowledged as being one of the most democratic and one of the safest countries in the developing world. From basically a mono-crop agricultural economy at the time of independence in 1968, today, Mauritius has achieved the status of a Newly Industrialised Country with a fairly stable population, almost zero unemployment, and per capita income of about US $ 8000. The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing and tourism. It also belongs to the category of high Human Development Index countries. Mauritius today is picture of a thriving economy with proven democratic traditions. The population comprises of 52% of Hindu Indians, 16% of Muslim Indians, 29% of Christians of European, African and Chinese descent and 1% of Buddhists of Chinese descent. English is the official language though French is used extensively. Creole and Bhojpuri Hindi are other common mediums of communication. Living in perfect peace and harmony, Mauritius is true model of a global village and symbol of unity in diversity. With its ethnic diversity and rainbow culture, Mauritius is a home away from home.  Mauritius is well connected by air with the major cities of the Indian Ocean Rim countries, Gulf (Dubai) and Europe. Air Mauritius flies direct twice a week from New Delhi and Chennai/Bangluru and thrice a week from Mumbai to Mauritius. Air Mauritius has always been a contributor in the developmental process of the nation. As such, it has taken a keen interest and provides the students of the SSR Medical College a substantial discount  (20%) on all Air Mauritius flights, which is subject to renewal annually. Emirate also has a very good connectivity from Hyderabad, Mumbai/ Delhi via Dubai.