On January 10, 2004, the Indira Gandhi stadium will host the screening of “Shringar,” an hour-long film and stage presentation on the beauty of adornment directed by renowned filmmaker and fashion designer Muzaffar Ali. This one-of-a-kind extravaganza will combine multi-media dance drama, poetry, and fashion show to create an unforgettable encounter with Indian artistic creativity.

India is a country with a rich diversity of cultures that date back over 5000 years and have been enriched by subsequent waves of migration that have assimilated into Indian culture. The delegates will be introduced to this variety, which is a distinctive hallmark of India, while they enjoy “Shringar,” an evening of entertainment especially designed for the delegates from the Diaspora. “Shringar” is a tale of adornment through the ages that traces the development of Indian fashion over the past 2500 years.

On January 10, 2004, the Indira Gandhi stadium will host the screening of “Shringar,” an hour-long film and stage presentation on the beauty of adornment directed by renowned filmmaker and fashion designer Muzaffar Ali. The multi-media dance drama, poetry, and fashion show that make up this special extravaganza will blend with one another to create a unique experience of Indian artistic creativity and express the subtleties of Shringar’s many shades.

The history of adornment in India is revealed through the seasons, the sensuality of the human form, and devotion to the divine by Noor Jahan, the “Light of the World,” a woman who loved to make herself beautiful. In her various moods, she will present herself as the Nayika, the heroine. Shobna, a National Award winner and one of India’s top Bharat Natyam dancers on stage and in film, will portray Nayika as she performs the dance style “Spring”.

Yamini & Bhanvna Reddy will perform a Kuchipudi dance piece titled “Winter,” which was choreographed by Radha and Raja Reddy. The other two seasons will be represented by a Manipuri dance recital by Charu & Singhajeet and a Kathak performance by Manjari Chaturvedi. 

With the passage of time and the changing of the seasons, Ashley Lobo and his dancers introduce Shringar in the modern era, which is then followed by a ballet performed by the Samudra Group of Kerala and two fashion shows that all feature Shringar’s creation. India’s top models will walk the runway in pieces that Rohit Bal, Ritu Kumar, and Meera and Muzaffar Ali have created.  

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Government of India, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) are working together to host Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2004 from January 9–11, 2004. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Indian Prime Minister, will give the three-day event its opening remarks. The 2004 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards will then be given out. 

The Minister of External Affairs will participate in a plenary session to discuss strategies for fruitful engagement, review the choices made at the first Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, and develop a blueprint for the future. The Leader of the Opposition will discuss the Indian Diaspora and the new global order.

Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani will outline his long-term vision for the diaspora while Minister of Finance Jaswant Singh will speak to the audience on globalization, the Indian economy, and the diaspora.

Similar to last year, the organizers anticipate that 2000 NRIs and PIOs from more than 70 nations will converge in New Delhi from January 9 to 11, 2004. Indra K. Nooyi, Mike Patel, Prof. C. K. Prahalad, L. N. Mittal, Gulam K. Noon, Neville Roach, Manu Chandaria, Narend Singh, Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Bharti Mittal, and others from the Indian Diaspora have all confirmed their attendance for this event.

In recognition of the fact that Mahatma Gandhi finally returned to India on this day in 1915 after spending nearly two decades in South Africa, January 9 of each year has been designated as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas both in India and abroad. In order to recognize the contribution of the Indian Diaspora in the political, economic, social, academic, and cultural spheres, it was suggested that the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas be celebrated.