Basdeo Bissoondoyal (15 April 1906 – 23 June 1991) was a Mauritian social worker, educator and writer who played an important role in the pre-Independence politics and independence movement on the island of Mauritius.

[5] From 1939 onwards Basdeo drew inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi's struggle for the Independence of India that he witnessed first hand during the six years that he had spent in the subcontinent.

He spent a significant amount of time in the villages of Lallmatie, Bon Acceuil, Laventure and Brissée Verdière (Flacq) to spread his message.

[6] Following the September 1943 Belle Vue Harel Massacre Basdeo organised the funeral ceremonies of the 4 labourers who had been shot dead by the police following a strike in protest against low wages and poor working conditions.

[8] Colonial rulers jailed Basdeo Bissoondoyal on four occasions due to the impact of his movement's educational campaign on the working poor.

In 1943 Basdeo Bissoondoyal and his Jan Andolan volunteers successfully organised a Maha Yaj festival in Port-Louis despite colonial rulers' cancellation of all public transport.

[10] However after consulting Secretary of State (Arthur Creech Jones) and Emmanuel Anquetil the Governor was convinced that Basdeo had no evil intentions.

[16] By April 1958 the Jan Andolan movement was transformed into the Independent Forward Bloc (IFB), led by Basdeo's younger brother Sookdeo.

The subject matter of his articles and books were literature, Mauritian, Indian and world history, philosophy, religion, and comparative civilizations.

It is also expected that the new Act will provide for talks, seminars, conferences, exhibitions, and other activities on the life, work, and writings of Professor Bissoondoyal.