Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention: Jaishankar, Thakur, Chouhan lauds Indian youth

The theme of the 17th edition of the convention is Diaspora: Reliable partners for India's progress in Amrit Kaal. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the chief guest Australian MP Zaneta Mascarenhas said that the Indian diaspora seeks to do great things in the world.

Indore:The 17th edition of the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' convention will be held in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city from Sunday under the theme 'Diaspora: Reliable partners for India's progress in Amrit Kaal', an official said. More than 3,500 diaspora members from 70 countries will take part in the three-day convention, which is being organised in the physical mode for the first time since 2019, he said.

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 the overseas Indian community to the development of the nation.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday appealed to the young Indian diaspora to innovate, invest and initiate their ideas in India. Speaking at the inaugural function of the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) as part of the commencement of the three-day PBD convention, Thakur said India became the fifth largest economy in the world in 2022 by overtaking those who ruled the country for 200 years. Australia's Member of Parliament Zaneta Mascarenhas was the guest of honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were also present. Addressing the gathering, Thakur urged the young Indian diaspora to "innovate, invest and initiate ideas in India". In the year gone by, India became the third largest nation with start-ups, he said. When the world was fighting the pandemic, Indian youth saw an opportunity for launching start-ups, he added. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention is being held in a physical mode for the first time since 2019.

"Indians from the engineering and technology sectors have achieved greater feats abroad. Many Indians now play a crucial role in these firms abroad. There's 'Make-in-India' and 'Digital India'. Now, India is taking greater strides in development. Now the country has become self-reliant as well under the leadership of PM Modi," Chouhan added.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lauded Indian youths for "connecting India to the world" at the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Delivering the inaugural address at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, he said, "Whether it is the startup of technology, the younger generations are at the forefront of connecting India to the world. Our endeavour is to maximise our support for the diaspora. We aim to focus on the redressal of grievances through online mechanisms. I am confident that Indian youth at home and abroad will propel the growth of this country to greater heights. We strive to create a better workplace and non-discriminatory approach."

Jaishankar said that India has the largest diaspora in the world. "What's unique about us is the intensity of bonding among us in the community abroad. This is an era where we're increasingly confident about our prospects and seek to connect with the international community," said EAM Jaishankar. He said that the country's relationship with 34 million people of Indian origin is what brings us here.

"This relationship was very much evident amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognised the tremendous response that we got from PIO. Our bond has become ever stronger as the result of all the trials. The identity of the diaspora is derived from how closely is connected," he added.

"We have also gathered here as India marks 75 years of Indian independence and as we move towards 100. I am glad to see that the guest of honour today is from our Quad and Indo-Pacific partner, Australia. Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of Madhya Pradesh welcomed members of the Indian diaspora in Indore," said Jaishankar.

Speaking at the event Australian MP Zaneta Mascarenhas who attended the Youth Pravasi Bhartiya Divas said, "Indian community is the fastest-growing diaspora in Australia. PM Anthony Albanese is looking to visit India later this year. India is a diverse country. Indian diaspora seeks to do great things in the world. There is so much vibrancy and colour here. India is a diverse country. Indian diaspora seeks to do great things in the world. We get the best aspect of Indian culture."

Mascarenhas said that the Australia-India relationship has never been this closer. "Our nation has shared perspective. "Innovation happens by mixing new ideas with old ways. Indians in the Indian diaspora have tremendous work ethics," she said.

Meanwhile, Thakur said that India is a land of thousand years old civilisations and gave the backgrounder to the organization of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas. "Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa 108 years ago. India is 1/6th of humanity. Indian-origin people have shown pragmatism in a foreign land. Indian diaspora youth has special & unique qualities," said Thakur.

He also said that the Indian diaspora is unparalleled. Some of the kindest minds of Indian origin have played a strategic role. Indian diaspora youth have some special and unique properties. The concept and theme of Youth Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is rooted in the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," he added.

The theme of the 17th edition of the convention is 'Diaspora: Reliable partners for India's progress in Amrit Kaal'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the PBD convention on Monday. On Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2023 and preside over the valedictory session.

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). (with AGency inputs)