Sheila Bappoo

The Hon Mrs. Sheilabai Bappoo, GOSK, MP, is a former Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare & Reform Institutions in Mauritius from 2005 to 2010. She held the ministry of Gender Equality, Child Protection and Family Planning from 1983 to 1995 and from 2010 to 2011. She completed her graduation from Queen Elizabeth College, and received a diploma in teaching. She was a teacher until 1977, after which she became Deputy Mayor of Beau Bassin. She went to become a minister in 1983. She joined the Mauritian Labor Party in 2003.
Mrs Bappoo is one of the longest serving women ministers in Mauritian Cabinet of Ministers. She hold a record 18 years as a minister during 1983 to 1995 and 2005 to 2014. Bapoo withdrew from Politics and the party activities as of 15 March 2015. She is married to Bappoo Raj, the Chairman of DY Patil Medical Sciences in Mauritius.

She was a leader of the Mauritian Militant Movement and was General-Secretary of the party until 1975. She decided to step down in favor of Anerood Jugnauth, who went on to become the President. Bapoo was elected councilor of Beau-Bassin & Rose-Hill where she was appointed as Deputy Mayor in 1977. The split in her party created a rift between the new Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth and the leader of the party Berenger. In 1983 they finally announced the termination of their alliance. Jugnauth proposed the creation of a new party sister to the MMM with the members who disagreed with Berenger, one of them was Bappoo. She finally merged with Jugnauth in the new party called the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM). The party won the elections of 1983. Jugnauth remained Prime Minister with a new team along with Bappoo as Minister of Women's Right. She joined hands with Rama Sithanean and formed a new party named Rally for Reform and allied with PMSD for the municipal elections, going on to win 25 per cent vote.

She joined MSM in 2003 and subsequently served as the Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations and Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare. During the period of 1991-95, she served as the Minister for Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare. She was elected again in Constituency No 16 as from July 2005 to date, under the banner of Labour Party, Social Alliance on 3 July 2005. She held the ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare & Reform Institutions from July 2005 to 11 May 2010. Her portfolio was changed to Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare on 11 May 2010 and she continued till 7 August 2011. Her Porfolio was subsequently changed to Social Security, National Solidarity, Reforms Institutions, Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare. From 18 August 2011, she became the Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reforms Institutions Welfare. Bapoo withdrew from Politics and the party activities as of 15 March 2015.

Bappoo attended Queen Elizabeth College for her graduation, and received a Diploma in teaching. She was a teacher until 1977. In 2007, she was promoted to rank of Grand Officer of the Star and Key of Indian Ocean and set eligible to use post-nominal (GOSK). She is regarded as one of the prominent politicians and is one of the highest ranked female politicians in the country.

DY Patil Medical College is Medical institute in Mauritius run by Dayanand Bapoo, the husband of Sheila Bapoo. During February 2014, Media reported claims that the Institute lacked provision of clinical training framework and compliant under the Medical Council of Mauritius. The Cabinet approved a Committee to investigate the accusation. A couple of students also filed a case against provision of clinical training framework, the parent group that controls the institution, in the courts of India stating that the Group promised seeking the requisite approvals before opening the campus at Mauritius. The minister has been questioned over conflict of interest, while the opposition demanded her resignation. Bapoo Raj denied both the allegations and stated that the record of establishment with Medical Council was in progress.