PM Modi To Inaugurate 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention In Indore On Jan 9

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention in Indore on January 9 and President Smt. Droupadi Murmu will conclude it.

The PBD will involve thousands of overseas Indians living around the world, informed an official. The three-day convention will be held from January 8 to 10, he said.

In the PBD conference, overseas Indians from all over the world will discuss various topics. Overseas Indians will be introduced to the achievements and capabilities of the country and the state. There will be cultural activities as well. President Smt. Droupadi Murmu will honour non-resident Indians at the conclusion of the three-day convention.

The President of Guyana Mohammad Irfaan Ali, the President of Suriname Chandrika Prasad Santokhi and the Member of Parliament of Australia Zaneta Mascarenhas will participate in the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 8 on the first day of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and ministers of the Union and state governments will participate in the PBD.

On the opening day of the PBD conference, programmes of Youth Pravasi Bhartiya Divas will be held which will include Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's address, Secretary (CPV, OIA) Ministry of External Affairs Dr. Ausaf Sayeed's welcome address, Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur's speech, Guest of Honour Zaneta Mascarenhas Member of Parliament Australia will deliver a special address. Union Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar will address. Secretary Youth Affairs and Sports Meeta Rajivlochan will propose vote of thanks.

On the first day, in the plenary session under the chairmanship of Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur there will be discussions on the role of migrant youths in innovations and new technology. After this, there will be 3 sessions on sectors related to industrial capabilities of the state, Textile and Garments: Weaving the Growth Story of M.P., Stories of Changes Taking Place in Madhya Pradesh in Information Technology and Allied Sectors, Health Care and Pharmaceuticals Investment: Reshaping the Global Health Value Chain. After this, there will be important discussions in three important sessions on Invest in Madhya Pradesh – The Food Basket, Startup Eco System – Unleashing the Entrepreneurial Strength of Madhya Pradesh and Tourism Opportunity in the Heart of Incredible India. In the evening there will be cultural conferences based on the unique cultural features of Madhya Pradesh.

Prime Minister

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention on 9th January at the Brilliant Convention Centre. Union Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar will give the welcome address. Chief Minister Chouhan, Special Guest Suriname President Chandrika Prasad Santokhi and Chief Guest Guyana President Dr. Mohammad Irfan Ali will address. A special postage stamp “Go Safe, Go Trained” will be released by the dignitaries. After this, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will address the conference.

This will be followed by the inauguration of the Indian Diaspora Day exhibition “Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – Contribution of Overseas Indians in the Indian Freedom Struggle”. MoUs and Agreements will be exchanged with Guyana. There will be a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Suriname President Chandrika Prasad Santokhi.

After lunch there will be a Plenary Session on “Role of Indian Diaspora in promoting Indian Healthcare Eco System in Amrit Kaal: Vision @ 2047” chaired by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare. In the evening there will be a session on “Harnessing India's Soft Power – Goodwill through Craft Cuisine and Creativity”, chaired by Minister V. Muraleedharan, followed by a cultural conference and dinner.

President

On the third day of the PBD on January 10, the first session will be chaired by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, with a session on “Enabling Global Mobility of the Indian Workforce - Role of the Indian Diaspora”. There will be a detailed discussion on the topic “Utilizing the Potential of Overseas Women Entrepreneurs towards an Inclusive Approach to Nation Building" under the chairmanship of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This will be followed by a banquet which will be hosted by Governor Mangubhai Patel.

President Smt. Draupadi Murmu will arrive at the Brilliant Convention Center and call on Chandrika Prasad Santokhi, President of Suriname and Dr. Mohamed Irfan Ali, President of Guyana. Union Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will deliver the welcome speech. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will give his address. President Smt. Murmu will present the awards to the overseas Indians and address the conference. The 17th PBD Conference will conclude with the vote of thanks by Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Union Minister of State for External Affairs.

History

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is observed annually on 9th January. The then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had announced to celebrate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in the year 2002. This day marks the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India. Gandhiji returned to India from South Africa in the year 1915.

The first Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was celebrated in the year 2003. The day marks the contribution of the overseas Indian community in the development of India. PBD is being organized biennially from the year 2015.

Special conferences are organised on this subject to recognize the contribution of Indian diaspora communities. The PBD Convention provides a platform for Indian diaspora from 110 countries around the world to interact and exchange ideas, thereby creating an atmosphere of trust and goodwill among the diaspora around the world. Every year the PBD convention is celebrated at various places across India.

In the past, the conference has had the honour of being attended by heads of states and dignitaries from around the world as chief guests. The enthusiastic participation of hundreds of NRIs and PIOs from different countries is a mark of success of the conference.

Samman

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (PBSA) are also presented by the President of India at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention. The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award is the highest honor given to a Non-Resident Indian, a person of Indian origin. The award is also given to an organization or institution established and run by a non-resident Indian. The award is given to commemorate the contribution of the Indian diaspora in creating a better understanding of India abroad, supporting India’s cause and working for the welfare of the local Indian community. So far 269 overseas members have been honored with the PBSA Award, which includes both individuals as well as organizations. For the year 2021, a total of 30 awards were given to individuals and organizations belonging to 15 Indian states working in 26 countries of the world. These awards were given in the fields of business, public/community services, medicine, Indian culture, education, science and technology etc.