New Delhi [India], January 4 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday, shared the details of the flagship event of Government of India, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2025, which is set to take place in Odisha, and stated that a large number of Indian diaspora members have registered for the programme.
“The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is being organized in partnership with the State Government of Odisha from 08-10 January 2025 in Bhubaneswar. The theme of this PBD Convention is “Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat”,” the statement added.
A large number of Indian diaspora members from over 50 different countries have registered to participate in the PBD Convention.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the PBD Convention on January 9. It will feature a virtual address by the Chief Guest, Christine Carla Kangaloo, President of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
PM Modi will remotely flag-off the inaugural journey of the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special Tourist Train for the Indian diaspora, which will depart from the Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi and would travel to multiple destinations of touristic and religious importance in India for a period of three weeks. The Pravasi Bharatiya Express will be conducted under the Pravasi Teertha Darshan Yojana of the Ministry of External Affairs, the MEA stated.
Notably, PM Modi will also inaugurate four exhibitions at the 18th PBD Convention: Vishwaroop Ram, an exhibition presenting the timeless epic of Ramayana through a curated juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary art forms; Diaspora’s contribution to technology and Viksit Bharat, which will acknowledge the contributions of the Indian diaspora to the development of technology in the world; Spread and Evolution of Indian diaspora in the world with special focus on Mandvi to Muscat. This exhibition will showcase rare documents of people who had migrated from Mandvi in Gujarat to Muscat in Oman; and Heritage and culture of Odisha which will showcase the rich heritage and cultural traditions of Odisha through its different art and craft forms and highlight its illustrious legacy.
President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the Valedictory Session of the 18th PBD Convention on 10 January, 2025. She will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2025 upon select members of the Indian diaspora to recognize their achievements and to honour their contributions in various fields in India and abroad, the MEA announced.
It was also noted in the press statement by the MEA that the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held on January 8 in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Dr Dev Pragad, CEO of Newsweek, will be the Guest of Honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
The PBD Convention will have five thematic plenary sessions, namely: “Beyond Borders: Diaspora Youth Leadership in a Globalized 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”. All the Plenary Sessions will feature panel discussions involving eminent diaspora experts, according to the MEA.
The forthcoming 18th PBD Convention is significant as it is being organized for the first time in the State of Odisha, amid its rich historical, cultural and spiritual heritage. The 17th PBD Convention was held in 2023 in Indore in partnership with the State Government of Madhya Pradesh, the MEA noted in its press statement.
The MEA shared that the 18th PBD Convention would be webcast live on the PBD website and MEA’s YouTube channel.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is the flagship event of the Government of India that provides an important platform to connect and engage with the Indian diaspora and enable them to interact with each other. (ANI)
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