PM Modi to inaugurate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in Indore

Narendra Modi. Pic/AFP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday inaugurate the 17th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city. President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali will be the chief guest and the Republic of Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi will be the special guest of honour, officials said. PM Modi in a tweet on Sunday said, "Looking forward to being in the vibrant city of Indore tomorrow, 9th January to mark Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. This is a great opportunity to deepen the connect with our diaspora, which has distinguished itself globally." The theme of the PBD convention is 'Diaspora: Reliable partners for India's progress in Amrit Kaal', officials earlier said. More than 3,500 diaspora members from 70 countries have registered for the event, which is being organised in physical mode for the first time since 2019.

The 16th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention was held in virtual mode in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Modi will on Monday also inaugurate the first-ever digital PBD exhibition on the theme "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav - Contribution of Diaspora in Indian Freedom Struggle¿ to highlight the contribution of the diaspora freedom fighters in India's Independence, an official said. A commemorative postal stamp 'Surakshit Jaayen, Prashikshit Jaayen' will be released to underline the importance of safe, legal, orderly and skilled migration. In view of India's ongoing Presidency of the G20, a special town hall will also be organised on Monday. The G20, or Group of 20, is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies. It comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the European Union (EU).

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The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated on January 9 to mark the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi in Mumbai from South Africa on that day in 1915. Since 2015, the convention is being organised every two years to mark the contribution of overseas Indian community to the development of the nation. The Centre has organised the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in partnership with the Madhya Pradesh government. On Sunday, Union ministers S Jaishankar and Anurag Thakur had addressed the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas programme held as part of the PBD convention. Australia's Member of Parliament Zaneta Mascarenhas was the guest of honour at the event.

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