The Village Doctor and the Intellectual Conscience of the Mauritian Left

Obituary: Dr Ram Seegobin

With the passing of Dr Ram Seegobin on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Mauritius has lost a pioneer of grassroots healthcare, and perhaps one of the most consistent intellectual voices of the Mauritian Left. Over a career spanning five decades, Dr Seegobin remained a rare breed in the local landscape: a man who viewed politics not as a ladder for personal ambition, but as a vehicle for systemic justice and one whose journey was defined by a refusal to compromise on the radical ideals of his youth.

The Bambous Health Project: Medicine as Activism

While many remember him as a political thinker, those in the village of Bambous remember him as “the people’s doctor.” In 1974, after returning from London with his wife, the South African-born writer Lindsey Collen, Ram Seegobin did something revolutionary. Rather than seeking a lucrative private practice or a high-ranking post in the civil service, he embedded himself in the working-class community of Bambous.

In February 1975, he co-founded the Bambous Health Project. This was a health cooperative in the truest sense: funded and managed by the villagers themselves. For the next 25 years, Ram Seegobin served as the village doctor, often conducting health education sessions in the shade of mango trees and consulting in modest, rented rooms. He believed that healthcare was a fundamental right and that medicine could not be separated from the socio-economic conditions of the patient. This period remained the foundation of his lifelong commitment to the “base” of Mauritian society.

The Birth of Lalit and the 1982 Schism

Dr Seegobin’s political legacy is inextricably linked to the founding of Lalit. Initially a member of the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) during its most firebrand years, he was part of the pivotal group that grew disillusioned as the party began its transition toward more conventional, mainstream power structures.

Following the historic 60-0 sweep of 1982, Ram Seegobin and his comrades felt the party was drifting away from its roots. He broke away to establish Lalit (Lalit de Klas), a party that refused to indulge in the “politics of the crown.” Under his guidance, Lalit became more than a political party; it became a think-tank for the working class, a relentless advocate for the decolonisation of Chagos, and a watchdog against the excesses of neoliberalism.

For those of us who have interviewed him in these columns in the past, Dr Seegobin was a formidable interlocutor. He possessed a surgical intellect, capable of deconstructing local politics and issues affecting our society or global economic trends.

 His analyses were deep, often challenging the status quo of both the government and the mainstream opposition. Whether he was writing for the Lalit website or commenting in the press, he forced Mauritius to look at the “fine print” of its social contract. He was particularly concerned with the “expiry date” of the Mauritian economic model, frequently warning of the dangers of extreme wealth inequality and the erosion of democratic institutions.

Convictions and Integrity

With the death of Dr Seegobin, the Mauritian Left loses one of  its most lucid theoreticians. In a world where politics in 2026 is increasingly defined by “image,” “spectacle,” and “opportunism”, he stood as a reminder of an era where convictions were meant to be lived, not just spoken.

Ram Seegobin leaves behind his wife Lindsey and his sister Vidula Nababsing, as well as many supporters and even critics who acknowledged the integrity he brought to public debate.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 30 January 2026