Management Team at the Faculty

As per University regulations, Deans and HoDs are rotated on a 3 and 2 year basis respectively. In this context, the next Dean of the Faculty will be Assoc Prof M.F.Driver as from January 2011, Mr K. Boodhoo will be responsible for the Agricultural Production and Systems department as from December 2010 and Dr. M. Sanmukiya will head the Agricultural and Food Science Department until her term ends next year.

We congratulate the outgoing team for their dedicated effort to manage the Faculty efficiently and we wish the new team success in their roles.

At one of the latest events organised by the Faculty, under the guidance of Mrs Esha Aumjaud, academic staff, a group of final year students in Food Science and Technology gave a moving tribute to the outgoing Dean, Assoc Prof Puchooa.  The speech is, in fact, an echo of what the staff at the FoA and people outside felt during his Deanship. It is therefore fitting that we reproduced hereunder an abridged version of the speech. The full speech was written and delivered by Ms. Arthi Deenoo BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology Year 3.  

“I have seized this golden opportunity to thank someone who has been devoted towards the Faculty for quite some time now. I am here talking of a leader who believes that his fellow colleagues have full commitment as guides to help forge the future of some 300 students. He trusts his staff for their support and devotion in enhancing the environment of our institution. He has the conviction that graduates from the Faculty have the capabilities to develop themselves into scholars, mentors and responsible citizens to further develop the agricultural sector of Mauritius. He has shown his eloquence through action. Well nothing like Jackie Chan’s action though, but through the different events he has personally or as a facilitator been involved in, to make the Faculty more visible on the University map! I know not about your personal feelings but for me, this leader has always been a person in close contact with not only staff he is proud to lead and serve, but also the students whom he might not see every-time but who can hardly escape his careful eyes. A leader who has a dream that each and every staff and student feels his sense of belonging to the Faculty and contributes effectively to its progress. A dream which he has tried to make reality through his visionary outlook and wisdom. Charles Dickens has written: “There is a wisdom of the head…. and a wisdom of the heart”. I believe god has been really generous by blessing him with both. Well, if I were to paint his portrait, it would undoubtedly be a huge tree where the leaves would represent the students, the branches, our lecturers and Faculty staff, and finally the Dean as the supporting trunk.  This outstanding leader is Our Dean, Associate Professor Puchooa. There is an African proverb which says “When deed speaks, words are nothing”. Therefore, allow me to end by expressing my heartfelt gratitude on behalf of all Faculty Staff and Students, to our Dean, Associate Professor Puchooa, for unifying the whole Faculty into one family and for being the candle lighting the path of this family towards a brighter tomorrow…”