PM Modi to inaugurate 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Varanasi today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh today. Mr Modi will hold talks with his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth after the inaugural session.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas yesterday, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Mrs Swaraj said, the Indian diaspora has dramatically changed the world's perception of Indians and India.

Mauritian Premier Jugnauth arrived in Varanasi yesterday and was received by Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh. Later, Mrs Swaraj called on the Mauritian Prime Minister and exchanged views on a range of issues, including strengthening bilateral cooperation.

For the first time, the three-day-long Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is being organised from January 21 to 23 instead of January 9 to allow participants visit the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj and attend the Republic Day parade in the national capital. The theme for this year's convention is 'role of Indian diaspora in building new India'. 

Mr Jugnauth will be the chief guest at the convention, while Himanshu Gulati, member of the Parliament of Norway, will be the special guest. Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, member of Parliament of New Zealand, will be the guest of honour.

President Ram Nath Kovind will address the concluding function



tomorrow.

Over 4,000 NRI delegates from about 85 countries are attending the event and many of them will be staying in the tent city, built specially for them. 

After Pravasi Divas, the guests will be taken for a visit to the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Thursday. A cultural village has been developed in Prayagraj, showing the history from the Indus Valley Civilisation. The 'pravasis' will be taken to New Delhi on Thursday night and will have a "Delhi darshan" the next day. They will also witness the Republic Day Parade on January 26.

Uttar Pradesh is the partner state for the event and a novel feature this year is the concept of 'Varanasi hospitality' under which local people are hosting the Indians living abroad at their homes as "family guests".

The decision to celebrate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was taken by the late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the first event was celebrated on  January 9, 2003. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is now celebrated once in every two years and provides a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the government and reconnect with their roots.

In a tweet this morning, Mr Modi said, he is looking forward to being in Kashi today for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. He said, it is an excellent forum to engage with the Indian diaspora, which is distinguishing itself all over the world.