Finance
The three-day 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention got off to a flying start on Wednesday at the Bhubaneswar Janata Maidan. The convention was opened by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Minister for External Affairs (MEA) S Jaishankar, and Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandavya, who lit the ceremonial lamp at the beginning of the inaugural session ‘Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’
The convention began with the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which was hosted by the Odisha government in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The other sessions on Wednesday include the Plenary Session I – Beyond Borders: Diaspora Youth Leadership in a Globalized World and the ‘Joint Business Session between MEA and Odisha’.
Addressing the Indian diaspora at the event, Jaishankar said, “Let me take the opportunity to urge you on behalf of Prime Minister Modi to promote India as a tourism destination. If young Indian PIOs bring their equally young friends from abroad to explore our uniquely rich and diverse heritage and culture, this will surely become a lifelong habit.”
Jaishankar said it is critical to invest in youths in order to achieve their full potential, as he highlighted various campaigns and programmes to develop India undertaken since 2014 under the leadership of PM Modi.
“Whether it is Swacch Bharat or Beti Padhao, Awas or Anna Yojana, Mudra or Swanidhi, Ayushman Bharat or Jal Jeevan, each one of them has been a transformational effort. However, if you were to see them in their entirety, connecting those dots will give you an appreciation of how we are securing the future of our youth. They will help bring their skills and creativity to the fore, ensuring that India’s talents are fully available to the global workplace,” the minister asserted.
President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the valedictory session on Friday, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inaugural session Thursday. Murmu will also bestow the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman on members of the Indian diaspora to recognize their achievement in various fields.
PM Modi will also electronically flag off the inaugural Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a unique tourist train for the diaspora that will depart from Delhi’s Nizamuddin station and proceed to several destinations over three weeks.
He will also open four exhibitions at the convention: the legacy of Ramayana, the diaspora’s contribution to technology and ‘Viksit Bharat’, the evolution of the Indian diaspora with an emphasis on ‘Mandvi to Muscat’, and Odisha’s heritage and culture.
The convention will have five thematic plenary sessions, such as ‘Beyond Borders: Diaspora Youth Leadership in a Globalised World’, ‘Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers: Stories of Migrant Skills’, ‘Green Connections: Diaspora’s Contributions to Sustainable Development’,
‘Diaspora Divas: Celebrating Women’s Leadership and Influence – Nari Shakti’, and ‘Diaspora Dialogues: Stories of Culture, Connection and Belongingness’.
The chief speaker for this event is Trinidad and Tobago President Christine Carla Kangaloo, who will speak on the theme ‘Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat. She will address the convention virtually.
The organisers have chosen 21 destinations in Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Jaipur for the participants to visit. Around delegates are anticipated to attend the convention.
