The 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD): Everything You Need To Know About It in 2015

Today marks the beginning of three-day event of the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) which will be organized at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Every year on January 9, India celebrates Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). The 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), which will be held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, will officially begin today and last for three days. The little-known occasion, which commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s arrival from South Africa on January 9, 1915, is also known as “Non-Resident Indian Day.” Additionally, it recognizes the role played by the Indian diaspora in the advancement of India. The three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas festival is observed from January 7 through 9. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and Ministry of Development of India’s North Eastern Region all lend their support to the event’s organization, which is under the direction of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

PM Narendra Modi in his maiden speech in United States Of America (USA) at the legendary Madison Square Garden last year in September announced with zeal that the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in 2015 is to be organised in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Be it USA, Myanmar, Australia or Fiji; Narendra Modi has openheartedly invited people of Indian diaspora to attend the celebrations of 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India. It will be interesting to see how the Prabhari Bharatiya Divas celebrations under the direction of Narendra Modi turn out with the “Make In India” and “Digital India” campaigns in the mix.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a former prime minister, founded the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebration under the chairmanship of L M Singhvi to honor the contributions of non-resident Indians, expatriates, and people of Indian origin. The occasion provides a forum for the discussion of problems and issues affecting the Indian Diaspora globally. PBD conventions have been held annually since the organization’s founding in 2003.

It will be interesting to see how the celebrations of Prabhari Bharatiya Divas under the direction of Narendra Modi turn out with the “Make In India” and “Digital India” campaigns in the mix.

Initiated by the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and chaired by L M Singhvi, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebration honors the contributions of non-resident Indians, expatriates, and people of Indian origin. The occasion provides a forum for the discussion of problems and issues affecting the Indian Diaspora globally. Since its founding in 2003, PBD conventions have taken place each year.

The significance of the event lies in the extensive networking opportunities it provides for the Indian community, which travels from all over the world to attend. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas program offers a forum for them to share their insightful experiences in a range of fields, be they social or economic. Not many know that individuals who have achieved excellence in their respective fields are also honoured at the event with the prestigious ‘Bharatiya Samman’ award.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas function aids in discussing significant initiatives pertaining to trade, investment, emigration, education, culture, health, development of science, and technological advancements, in addition to networking and creating partnerships.

This year’s gala will be held at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. The convention site in the capital of Gujarat is decorated to welcome the large contingent of Indians who have emigrated from other nations. The Indian government hosts the annual bonding festival at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas for its citizens who reside abroad. The 13th edition of the program, started in 2003 by the then-NDA government, is expected to draw more than 3,000 delegates from the Indian diaspora.

Donald Ramotar, president of Guyana, will attend the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas festivities as the chief guest. The highest honor given to PIOs and overseas Indians, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, will also be given to the president of Guyana.

For the seventh time running, private airline Jet Airways has been named the official airline partner for the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2015. The airline will run additional flights specifically for the summit, accordFor the convenience of the international visitors, the airline will run special domestic sector flights from Mumbai and New Delhi to Ahmedabad for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 7-9, followed by the Gujarat summit on January 11–13.

South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will also attend  this year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, commemoration to mark the return of Bapu Mahatma Gandhi’s from South Africa 100 years ago.

As Sushma Swaraj, the minister of external affairs, will inaugurate the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, there will also be a separate event for young people. Gujarat-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is also expected to attend the mega event.

After the inauguration, a plenary session on ‘Bharat Ko Jano & Bharat Ko Mano‘ (Know India, Believe India), followed by a talk on ‘Thoughts of Gandhi in 21st century referring to youths’. The youth of the Indian diaspora would learn about India’s ancient culture, traditions, and hospitality during the “Bharat ko Jano” session. The youth would be informed about modern India and its innovations in the “Bharat Ko Mano” session, such as the successful Mangalyaan mission, India’s missile technology, and expertise in the Information Technology (IT) field. The administrators of various Make in India, Swachch Bharat, Skill India, Clean Ganga, and Tourism projects will inform the diaspora of the programs.