50 years of Laxmanbhai & Co |11 July 2023
Joshna and Mayur
Long-serving staff rewarded and book launched
As part of the 50 years of Laxmanbhai & Co, a group of long-serving staff were rewarded and a new book was launched in a gala night held on Friday at the National Sports Council (NSC) multipurpose hall.
The event was graced by the presence of Vice-President Ahmed Afif, former President Danny Faure, other ministers and entrepreneurs.
Magali Norshir was rewarded for her 50 years of service. She joined the company in 1973 as a secretary and recently resigned.
The other long-serving staff rewarded are Jemy Barra – carpenter for 38 years; Reginald Barbe – painter for 34 years; Sultana Barbe – housekeeper for 33 years; Harry Dine – carpenter for 33 years; Clive Barker - plumbing manager for 32 years; James Louise – carpenter for 31 years; Frank Morel – purchase manager for 29 years and the late Walter Labrosse - general manager for 21 years.
The managing director, Ravji Raghwani, expressed his gratitude and sincere thanks to the people of Seychelles, the government, their clients and partners for their support during all the years.
“It is with immense pride and humility that we celebrate our 50Th Anniversary and acknowledge the wholesome trust, support and collaboration that have been instrumental in our success. We are grateful for the opportunities provided to us, the strong relationships we forged and invaluable contributions of every individual, they are an integral part of our journey. We adapt and sustain ourselves, are driven by courage, follow an ethical, law-abiding business credo and a conscious social responsibility, these are our bedrocks and guiding principles. As we embark on the next chapter, we remain committed to serving Seychelles with passion, excellence and a shared vision for a prosperous future.”
VP Afif seized the opportunity to congratulate the company for standing by the government in difficult times, mainly when there was a shortage of foreign exchange on the market. “Laxmanbhai has been an integral part in the development of Seychelles. The company grew from strength to strength and also created a legacy where the brand is well known and trusted by many investors. We wish the company good luck and also thank Mr Ravi for all the good work and contributions towards our society.”
During the night the two children of Mr Raghwani – Joshna and Mayur – spoke about the journey of the company.
It was in the early 20th century in Kutch, a district in Gujarat, Western India, a community of subsistence farmers known as the Kutchi Leva Patel community, were encouraged by their spiritual leaders to seek better prospects beyond their country, in order to escape crippling poverty.
“Our great-grandfather Kesra Raghwani did exactly that and called over his son Premji Rahwani and his nephews Laxaman and Kanji Raghwani from India to Nairobi, Kenya. From there on the foundations of a construction business, that spanned four countries and three generations were established. Laxmanbhai and Co Seychelles was co-founded by our grandfather Premji Raghwani after winning the Mahé Beach Hotel Contract in 1973. Nine years later our father Ravji and mother Rambai arrived in Seychelles to settle in their new home facing many challenges and adapting to an unfamiliar environment.”
Three years later Mr Premji left Seychelles to expand the business in the UK and India and Mr Ravi took over the responsibility of Laxmanbhai and Company Seychelles.
“Under our dad’s leadership and with each new project, all these challenges were overcome with creativity and perseverance. An ethos of a can-do attitude and a positive mindset was being fostered in the company with a focus on efficiency and expert finishing,” shared the children of Mr Ravi.
Along the years new sophisticated machines were bought and slowly slowly Laxmanbhai created a legacy that has been formed under the same foundations and traditions that have been the cornerstones of this special journey.
To mark this Golden anniversary, a book about the 50 years of Laxmanbhai & Co in Seychelles was launched.
Other well-wishers also spoke about the Raghvani.
The event was spiced up by some moutya performances and ended with a lavish vegetarian Gujrati dinner. The NSC hall was completely transformed and decorated for the event and now NSC has a new stage.
Vidya Gappy
Photos: Louis Toussaint
