A Profile of Professor Sudaxshina Murdan

Diaspora

By Kishore Teelanah

The Mauritian diaspora is a diverse community of Mauritian individuals and their descendants who have settled in the United Kingdom and Europe. Mauritius, well known for its rich cultural diversity, is reflected in its diaspora. Since the 1960s, many have come to the UK as economic migrants. Students have also arrived to study a range of subjects, including Medicine, Engineering, Law, Science, Accountancy, Dentistry, and Architecture, making significant contributions to their homeland. Others stayed back and settled in the UK.

Many also came as nursing students as early as the 1950s and 1960s, but the majority arrived in the 1970s. In education, the Mauritian and British governments offer scholarships to students who achieve top grades at Higher School Certificate (HSC) or GCE Advanced Level equivalent. Every year, the Mauritian government extends an increasing number of achievers’ scholarships based on merit and social criteria.

In 2023, Mr Roopun, President of the Republic of Mauritius, stated that the scheme needs to provide the highest quality learning opportunities to all students in a bid to make Mauritius a truly meritocratic country. He reinforced that Mauritius has thrived over the years due to the emphasis placed on the importance of education. “Our greatest resource has always been our people, our human capital,” he stated, adding that education is key to empowering the population and sustaining economic growth. (mauritianoverseasgazette@outlook.com)

Among the diaspora, many have excellent qualifications and commendable jobs. Yet, only a few have reached the prodigious heights of Sudaxshina Murdan, who came to the UK in 1990 as a Laureate. Sudaxshina grew up with her three younger brothers, an older sister, and her parents in Bon Accueil, Mauritius. Her father was a labourer with the Ministry of Works, and her mother, a housewife. She attended the Bon Accueil Government School for primary education and, thanks to her excellent teachers, especially Mr. Betchoo, she was ranked highly and attended the prestigious Queen Elizabeth College. She excelled and, helped by numerous teachers, her best friend (Nazyad Durgauhee), and the latter’s family, she became an HSC laureate and secured a scholarship to study in the UK.

Professor Sudaxshina Murdan supervising research students in a laboratory at University College London’s School of Pharmacy

After her BPharm degree and pre-registration training in a hospital and the pharmaceutical industry in Milton Keynes, she completed a PhD at the School of Pharmacy, University of London (SOP) in 1998. After a brief post-doctoral period, she was appointed as a Lecturer at SOP, then promoted to Senior Lecturer, then to Reader, and finally to full Professor at the same institution (which is now part of University College London). Sudaxshina’s research is on the development of drugs and vaccines. Medicines for treating nail diseases, vaccines for humans, fish, chicken, and animals, and methods to increase vaccine acceptance are of particular focus. She also teaches pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences to undergraduate and postgraduate students. She develops new pedagogical tools such as object-based learning using medicines as objects and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Linking her research and teaching, she trains students and others to become vaccination champions and is developing interfaith interventions to increase vaccine acceptance and uptake. In addition to her research and teaching, Sudaxshina is the Faculty of Life Sciences Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lead for Religion and Belief and a Green (Sustainability) Champion.

Professor Sudaxshina Murdan and her husband, Professor Marcus Enoch, celebrating their birthdays and promotions

Sudaxshina lives with her husband, Marcus, in Bedford and commutes daily to London for work. Marcus is a Professor in Transport Strategy at Loughborough University. His research is on the development of transport systems, and he recently published a book: Roads Not Yet Travelled (Bristol University Press | Roads Not Yet Travelled – Transport Futures For 2050, By Marcus Enoch). He also teaches urban planning and civil engineering.

Sudaxshina’s unassuming manner gives no hint of her professional achievements. Outside of her work, her hobbies include growing fruits and vegetables on her allotment, travelling, and reading (mostly) fiction. She travels to Mauritius yearly with Marcus to see her immediate and extended family and friends. She speaks fluent Bhojpuri, Creole, and French. Due to her interest in languages, she recently took up Italian and obtained a grade B at GCSE.

In conclusion, Sudaxshina continues to teach and conducts research to develop medicines and vaccines which are more effective and acceptable, and her work in vaccination promotion and equity continues.

Kishore is a semi-retired teaching and learning expert in science. He had worked in the NHS in the 1970s, followed by a long career in Further and Higher Education. He writes science blogs, advises on teaching and learning, and promotes the Mauritian diaspora in the UK.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 12 September 2025