By Kul Bhushan, IANS,
New Delhi : The business trip just a month before he was due to retire was Anil Gunness’ last. The CEO of the State Bank of Mauritius was one of the 183 killed in the Mumbai terror attack that also targeted the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel.
His body was flown to Port Louis Monday and hundreds of Mauritians, including President Sir Anerood Jugnauth and the Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam attended the cremation, Sadhna Ramlallah, a journalist and daughter of the founder publisher of The Mauritius Times, told IANS over the telephone.
“He was in his room at the Taj while his wife, Amrita, had gone down to the Business Centre to send e-mails to her two daughters, Anju and Archana, when the attack took place,” she said. “He was killed in his hotel room but she escaped.”
“We are so far away from Mumbai but the terror attack has also wounded us. These attacks are a blow to the whole world especially to the families of the victims and it disheartens us to see our very own Anil to be one of them,” added Ramlallah.
“Anil’s exceptional qualities as a human being have always been very much appreciated and valued by one and all.”
Gunness, aged 58, was on a business trip to Mumbai accompanied by his wife Amrita and his body was found in the hotel room Saturday after he had gone missing since last Wednesday’s terrorist attacks. Gunness’ body was officially identified by his wife.
An accountant by profession, Gunness had a long and fruitful career at the State Bank of Mauritius for the last 28 years, mainly at senior management level including retail, corporate and international banking.