2021 Government Leaders List
The 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List recognizes more than 200 Ieaders of the Indian diaspora who have ascended to the highest ranks of government in 15 countries across the globe.
While some are elected officials, others are appointees or civil servants. All have risen to the call for public service. Key agents in shaping politics and policy from a local to global scale, their leadership will impact generations to come.
About
The 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List recognizes more than 200 Indian diaspora leaders who have ascended to the highest echelons of public service in 15 countries across the globe, with nearly 70 of these leaders holding senior, cabinet-level positions.
Methodology
To compile this list, Indiaspora researched government websites and other publicly available resources to compile a comprehensive list of diaspora leaders serving in the following positions:
- Heads of government and deputy heads of government
- Ministers and agency heads serving as part of a government’s cabinet
- Ambassadors* and consuls general*
- Parliamentarians and federal legislators*
- Chief justices
- Heads of central banks
- Senior civil servants*
- Additional U.S. leaders, including federal administration nominees and appointees, and state and local leaders
*Countries with a significant history of diaspora migration were included, such as Australia, Canada, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Officers of Indian citizenship were not included because the list aims to highlight the contributions of the diaspora.
Minister of Defense | Suriname
Krishna Mathoera
Krishna Mathoera, currently is the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Suriname and the first female to be appointed in this office. From 2015 to July 2020 she served as Member of Parliament. This was preceded by a dedicated career within the Police force, where she established a proven track record in fighting (organized) crime for 37 years. Krishna left the Police force as Commissioner of Police. In the 2020 elections she was the candidate with the greatest number of votes in the capital district Paramaribo and was reelected.
As former lecturer of security subjects, she conveyed her knowledge to many in the past years and made her contributions in the community as former Chair of Art of Living Suriname and member of Rotary Club Paramaribo.
Krishna has a professional Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Erasmus University Netherlands/ F.H.R. Institute Suriname, a diploma from the Suriname Police Academy and a diploma from the FBI Training Academy in the USA. She has completed training in crime prevention, drug abuse and criminal justice in various countries. Krishna is mother of one son and two daughters and widow of late Lieutenant colonel Hussainali I.
Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping | Mauritius
Sudheer Maudhoo
Minister Maudhoo is the Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping. Sudheer was appointed on November 12,2019. His previous work as Chairman of Mauritius Shipping Corporation Ltd (2010-2015) has been extremely insightful for his current position.
Sudheer has experience working as the Supervisor and Store Manager at Paolocci Textiles-Flacq. He has also worked as the Sales and Marketing Officer-Eastern Lion Co.Ltd and the Commercial Manager-Abra Marketing Co.Ltd.
Sudheer obtained a School Certificate from the Royal College in Port Louis and also a Higher School Certificate from the same institution. He enjoys reading, fishing, travelling, and swimming.
Minister of Human Resources | Malaysia
Saravanan Murugan
Minister M. Saravanan is the Minister of Human Resources. Saravanan was appointed in March 2020. He has served as a Member of the Parliament of Tapah since March 2008. He is a member and Deputy President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a minor component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. He was a Senator prior to his election to the Dewan Rakyat.
Saravana began his political career in 1994 as a Secretary in MIC for the district of Titiwangsa. Prior to his active participation in Malaysian politics, Saravanan has worked several jobs as an office clerk, a member of the Malaysian police force Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM), and a Marketing Executive.
Saravanan holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Hammersmith & West London College in England. He has greatly contributed to the Malaysian Indian community.
Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General | Guyana
Anil Nandlall
Minister Nandall is the Minister of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General. Anil was appointed in August 2020. He previously served as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs of Guyana from 2011 to 2015.
Anil has worked as an Attorney-at-Law in Private Practice and Member of the Eleventh Parliament of Guyana, Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Oaths to Affidavits and Notary Public. He has also been the Former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Member of the Tenth Parliament of Guyana, the Former Executive Member of the Council of Legal Education of the West Indies and Chairman of the Law Revision Commission of Guyana, and the Member of the Disciplined Forces Commission. He has also served as the Former President of the Guyana Table Tennis Association 2007-2008.
Anil attended Mon Repos Primary School, Queen’s College, University of Guyana – Turkeyen, Georgetown and Hugh Wooding Law School – St. Augustine, Trinidad. He was admitted to practice at the Guyana Bar on the 21st October, 1998 and admitted to practice at the Bar of Trinidad and Tobago in 2007.
Minister of Public Works | Suriname
Riad Nurmohamed
Riad J. Nurmohamed was born in Paramaribo, Suriname on 25 June 1974. He received his BSc degree in Infrastructure, a MSc degree in Water Resources Engineering, a PhD in Technology. From 2000 till today, he has been working as a full time lecturer and researcher at the University of Suriname, Faculty of Technology, Department Infrastructure. Teaching, participation in research projects, supervision of engineering works, publications, presentations, participating in working groups and events, organization (excursions/meetings/workshops/expos), co-ordination, ICT and computer works are some of the tasks/responsibilities, which he fulfilled at (inter)national level. Since 2009 he is the education and research program coordinator of the master programme in Sustainable Management of Natural Resources. In the period 2015 till 2020 he was a member of the Parliament of Suriname. Since 2015-present he is the Minister of Public Works.
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning, and Development | Mauritius
Renganaden Padayachy
Minister Padayachy is the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development. Renganaden was elected at this position on November 12, 2019.
Renganaden was First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Mauritius from December 2017 to October 2019 and Chairman of the Financial Services Commission from January 2018 to October 2019. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank as well as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee. He has also been a member of the Monetary Policy Committee since 5 September 2017. He started off as the Chief Economist of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and headed the Economic Analysis and Industry Division of the MCCI.
Renganaden holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, France. He also holds two Masters degrees, the first one in Public Economics from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, France, and the other one in Industrial Economics from the University of Franche-Comté, France.
Minister of Public Works | Guyana
Sonia Savitri Parag
Ms. Savitri Sonia Parag is thirty-seven (37) years old. Originally from the Essequibo Coast, Guyana, South America. She was born at Suddie on 12 th July, 1983, where she resided for thirteen (13) years and attended the Anna Regina Primary School (now known as C.V. Nunes Primary).
She attained Queens College High School in 1994 but went on to attend the President’s College High School from 1994-1999. She then entered the University of Guyana in 1999 as an English Major and subsequently went on to pursue Law from 2002-2005 at the University of Guyana where she obtained a Bachelor of Law degree and then to Hugh Wooding Law School from 2005-2007 where she obtained her certificate to practice Law.
Attorney-At-Law, Ms. Parag was admitted to the Legal Bar in October 0f 2007 and was in private practice from 2007 to present. On the 5 th August 2020 she was sworn in as the Minister of Public Service, within the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic Government, which portfolio she currently holds.
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition | South Africa
Ebrahim Patel
Minister Patel is the Minister of Trade and Industry. Ebrahim was appointed on Ma 30, 2019. He was the Minister of Economic Development of the Republic of South Africa and served two terms in this position.
Ebrahim was active for many years in the anti-apartheid and labour movements and in social dialogue institutions. He headed the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU), which provided a range of services and social benefits to workers and their families and built a significant stake in the economy through its investment strategy. He served on the governing body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for a decade, in which capacity he was spokesperson on employment and social policy for many years. He was one of the drafters of the ILO’s Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation in 2008 and a number of ILO policy documents and instruments. Locally, he led the labour team in the finalisation of a number of the country’s labour laws, including the Labour Relations Act in 1995, as well as key economic documents such as the Framework for South Africa’s response to the International Economic Crisis.
Ebrahim studied at the University of the Western Cape and University of Cape Town. He has edited three books, on social dialogue, worker rights and African industrialisation.
Minister within the Ministry of Local Government | Guyana
Anand Persaud
Minister Persaud is a Minister within the Ministry of Local Government. Anand was appointed in August 2020.
Anand and his family have been responsible for providing entertainment services to the people of Guyana. His family started their own movie entertainment business and Anand went on to launch NTN Radio 89.1 FM. NTN also became the sole distributor of ZEE TV in Guyana.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security | Guyana
Vindhya Persaud
Minister Persaud is the Minister of Human Services and Social Security. Vindhya was appointed in August 2020.
Vindhya practices at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Department of Surgery and at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital, Department of Surgery and Emergency. She has also served as President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha.
Vindhya is a Graduate from the (UG) School of Medicine. She has a long history of association with the People’s Progressive Party. Her father, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, was Guyana’s longest-serving Parliamentarian.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office | Singapore
Indranee Rajah
Minister Rajah is the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. Indranee is also the Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development. She has been the Member of Parliament for the Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC) since 2001. In the Prime Minister’s Office, she oversees the National Population and Talent Division and assists Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean on population matters. She is the fourth woman to become a full Minister in Singapore’s history.
Indranee was in practice as a lawyer and Senior Counsel before joining the Government. She co-chaired the Committees on Family Justice, the formation of the Singapore International Commercial Court as well as the Committee to Strengthen Singapore as an International Centre for Debt Restructuring. She also co-chaired the Penal Code Review Committee whose recommendations led to major amendments to the Penal Code, including greater protections of women and the vulnerable.
Indranee attended Raffles Institution, before going on to the National University of Singapore, where she completed a Bachelor of Law (Honours) degree in 1986.
Minister of Public Health | Suriname
Amar Ramadhin
Minister Ramadhin is the Minister of Public Health. Amar was appointed on July 16, 2020. He became an executive in the Progressive Reform Party (VHP) in 1999. He was also temporarily appointed to head the COVID-19 management team.
Amar is a general practitioner by profession, and holds a doctorandus title. He started teaching at the IBW University in Paramaribo. In 2012, he started at the Medisch Centrum Macdonald in Paramaribo, and until 2020 worked at the General Practitioner Clinic CuraMed in Zorg en Hoop, Paramaribo. He is a member of the medical staff of the Surinamese Football Association, and since 2019, a staff member of the Vereniging van Medici in Suriname (Association of Medical Professionals).
Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change | Mauritius
Kavydass Ramano
Minsiter Ramano was elected Second Member for Constituency No 18, Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes on 6th May 2010. He was Member of Parliament as from 18 May 2010 to 06 October 2014 and Councillor of Municipal Council of Q. Bornes as from Oct 2001 to Sept 2005 He was also the Mayor of the same town from 2003-2004
He was elected Third Member for Constituency No 18, Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes as from December 2014 to 06 October 2019Also, Member of Parliament as from 22 December 2014 to 06 October 2019; On 08 November 2019 – Elected Second Member of Constituency No.18 Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes and on 12 November 2019 – Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change
Minister of Agriculture, Land, and Fisheries | Trinidad and Tobago
Clarence Rambharat
Minister Rambharat is a Senator in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago and the Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries. Clarence was initially appointed on September 11, 2015 and re-appointed on August 19, 2020. His interest in agriculture developed through his father’s career as a Forest Officer and his family’s long history in farming.
Clarence has worked as a lawyer, lecturer and writer and is well established. Early in his career as a lawyer, his work covered land tenure and land administration. He has worked for global multinationals in oil and gas and financial services in the areas of corporate governance, regulatory compliance and procurement. In the Caribbean, he has worked in leadership positions in the Trinidad and Tobago sugar industry and health sector. He is a former Chairman of the Employers’ Consultative Association (ECA) of Trinidad and Tobago, a premier voice for employers and a delegate to regional and global conferences on workplace issues. In Canada, he had been in private practice and worked for HSBC in regulatory positions. Over the last 20 years he has also been a University lecturer in Administrative and Constitutional Law, International Law and other areas of law and business, and has also been a presenter and speaker on various areas of law including corporate governance and public sector procurement.
Clarence is what some call a ‘must-read newspaper columnist’, writing on matters of public interest in Trinidad and Tobago.
Minister of Foreign Affairs | Suriname
Albert Ramdin
Minister Ramdin is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation in the cabinet of Santokhi. In August 2020, he was the first Surinamese member of government in ten years to pay an official visit to the Netherlands. He has had a distinguished career in public service at the national and international level, serving before his election to the OAS as Ambassador at Large and Special Adviser to the Government of the Republic of Suriname on Western Hemispheric Affairs. In Suriname, he has served as Senior Adviser to the Minister of Trade and Industry. He has also served as Suriname’s non-resident ambassador to Costa Rica.
Albert became the Director of the HIMOS Development Agency in Oegstgeest, Netherlands. In 1997, he was appointed as the Permanent Representative of the Organization of American States (OAS) for Suriname. In 1999, he became assistant general for external relations at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). In 2001, he became adviser to the Secretary General of the OAS. On 7 June 2005, he was elected Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States. In July 2015, he returned to Suriname where he worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has also worked for the American gold mining company Newmont Corporation.
Albert received his education in Paramaribo and in The Netherlands, at the University of Amsterdam and the Free University, where he studied geography of developing countries with a specialization in social and economic problems of smaller economies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Minister of Welfare and Housing | Suriname
Hanafi Ramsaran
Uraiqit Hanafi Ramsaran was sworn in as Minister of Social Affairs and Housing in Suriname in 2022. Ramsaran is an entrepreneur. He is fluent in Javanese and Sarnami Hindustani among other languages and is a member of the political party, Pertajah Luhur (PL). In July 2020, Ramsaran was one of two PL members to obtain a ministerial post in the Santokhi cabinet. Only July 16, he was sworn in as Minister of Social Affairs and Housing. The agreement with the ABOP with which the PL had worked together during the elections, to have Ramsaran hold this office for a year, was abandoned by APO leader Ronnie Brunswiik at the end of 2021, becase of his good relationship with PL leader Paul Somohardio. In 2021, Ramsaran settled in Saramacca to support his party PL there. Ramsaran transferred to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Tourism on 13 December 2023, where he succeeded Albert Juhithana.
Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment | Fiji
Mahendra Reddy
Minister Reddy was elected to Parliament in 2014 and was appointed to Cabinet as Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts.
Mahendra taught Economics at the University of the South Pacific, becoming a Lecturer in Development Studies in 1998 and getting promoted to Senior lecturer in 2005. In 2007, he became the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics and Associate Professor of Economics. In 2008, he became the Head of the USP School of Economics before being transferred to the Fiji Institute of Technology in October as the Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Hospitality and Tourism Studies. In March 2009, he was appointed as the Chair of the Commerce Commission. In July 2014, he resigned as Commerce Commission director and from the Reserve Bank of Fiji board chairman to join the FijiFirst party to contest in the elections.
Mahendra was an award-winning scholarship student at the University of the South Pacific and the University of Hawaii. He did his Master of Science Degree and PhD in Agriculture and Resource Economics on a Fulbright Scholarship on an East-West Centre Fellowship at the University of Hawaii.
Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance | Mauritius
Mahen Kumar Seeruttun
Minister Seeruttun is the Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance. Mahen Kumar was appointed on November 12, 2019.
Mahen Kumar has worked as Finance Manager for the CIEL GROUP, Secretary and Accountant for MSIRI, and an Auditor.
Mahen Kumar holds a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and is also a Fellow Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA). He enjoys reading, internet surfing, music and sport activities.