Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Meet to have Focus on NRI Youth

The Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Vayalar Ravi addressing a press conference to brief regarding forthcoming edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held in Delhi, in New Delhi on November 05, 2013.

The 12th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention to be held in Delhi from 7th to 9th January 2014 will have ‘Engaging Diaspora: Connecting Across Generations’ as its theme. One of the focus areas of the PBD this year is a Youth PBD on 7th January 2014 to open new horizons of a strong network of young overseas Indian. This was announced by Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs here today. 

The Minister said that with majority of our youth population, India is a young nation. It is in the fitness of things, therefore, that there is a focus on Youth PBD during the 12th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Minister highlighted the fact that Youth is one of the engines that drive a nation and if we are to propel India to greater heights, we need to harness this energy, he added. 

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, will inaugurate PBD, flagship event of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs on January 8th and the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, will deliver the valedictory address on 9th January and confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Samman Awards. 

In the session focused on youth on 7th January, 2014 there will be discussion on “ Aspiration of Diaspora Youth” followed by Concurrent Session on “ Sharing a Common Heritage: The Emotional Connect, Young Achievers and on “Emerging India in a Dynamically Changing World”. On the 8th & 9th January, 2014 there will be a Plenary Session on “ India’s Growth & Development Agenda”, “ India’s Soft Power” and “ Investment Opportunities in the States”. There will also be concurrent exhibition showcasing with participation from State Governments, Corporates, Financial Institution, NGOs and other sectors. This time the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will be the Partner Ministry for the PBD. 

It is expected that there will be enthusiastic participation over 2000 delegates from our heterogeneous and diverse overseas Indian community spread across the global are expected in the convention in the forthcoming PBD,. 

The purpose of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is to have meaningful interaction with overseas Indian that would address their issues ans concerns. The PBD Convention provides a unique platform for overseas Indian to interact among themselves and with the Government of India and the Government of Various Indian States. It is a forum where the Government of India showcases investment opportunities in India and its potential in various sectors. 

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January every year to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community to the development of India. January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate the role of Overseas Indians since it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, returned to India from South Africa to lead India’s freedom struggle and to change the lives of Indians forever. 

Courtesy: Press Information Bureau (pib.nic.in)