Guyana President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali to be chief guest at 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention at Indore

New Delhi: Guyana President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali will be the chief guest at the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention. It will be held from 8th to 10th January next year in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. 

In a statement, External Affairs Ministry said, Zaneta Mascarenhas, Member of Parliament of Australia, will be the guest of honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which will be held on 8th January next year. 

The theme of the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is - Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India's Progress in Amrit Kaal.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated once in every two years to



strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the Government of India and reconnect them with their roots. The 9th of January was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion because it was on this day in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa. 

The first Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was organized in 2003 to mark the contribution of the Overseas Indian community in the development of India. This convention provides a forum to discuss issues and concerns of the Indian diaspora and honour those individuals who have made exceptional contributions to various fields.