llion pounds sterling in compensation for the loss of their slaves who had been imported from Africa and Madagascar during the French occupation. The abolition of slavery had important repercussions on the socio-economic and demographic fields. The planters turned to India, bringing in a large number of indentured labourers to work in the sugar cane fields. Between 1834 and 1921, around half a million indentured labourers were present on the island. They worked on sugar estates, factories, in transport and construction sites. Additionally, the British brought 8,740 Indian soldiers to the islands.
Indians mainly originated from Calcutta, Madras and Bombay. The first group arrived in 1721 from Bengal and Pondicherry. Most were Bengali or Tamil. Port-Louis was divided into three sectors, with the Indian community in the eastern suburb of ‘Camp de Malabar’. A great number of Hindus from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were brought as indentured labourers. There was also massive immigration from Madagascar, Southern and Eastern Africa, Mozambique and the Comoro Islands (French: Les Comores). Chinese immigrants, who were in commerce, also arrived later, and the colony was transformed into a predominantly Asiatic population. The expanding marketing sector also attracted many traders from Northern India.
As the Indian population became numerically dominant and the voting franchise was extended, political power shifted from the old Franco-Mauritian élite, and their Creole allies, to the Indo-Mauritians. Cultivation of sugar cane flourished, mainly for export as sugar to Great Britain. Economic progress saw improvement of the means of communication and a gradual upgrading of infrastructure.
Following constitutional conferences held in London in 1955 and 1957, the ministerial system was introduced and a General Election was held on 9 March 1959. Voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage and the number of electors
