9.1.15

PBD snippets


Prime Minister Narendra Modi lionised India as a land of opportunities as he reached out to the Indian diaspora of 25 million, while inaugurating the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). “Our ancestors went to distant lands to explore new possibilities. Now opportunities await you in India. Times have changed. The world is looking at India with optimism,“ Modi said at the PBD.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, who returned from South Africa exactly a century ago, he said: “Hundred years ago, one NRI returned to India, and today one Gujarati welcomes the entire overseas Indian community .“ Modi appealed to the diaspora from 45 countries to use their soft power to spread the message of humanism and Indian values.
To mark the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's return from South Africa, PBD 2015 honoured him with the title “Sarva Shreshtha Pravasi Bharatiya“ (the foremost Indian diaspora member). Before inaugurating PBD, Modi paid tribute to Bapu by opening Dandi Kutir, a 3-D museum on he Mahatma. Nearly 4,000 delegates are attending PBD 2015, he world's largest annual gathering of people of Indian origin, that seeks to enhance networking opportunities and reinforce commercial linkages between India and expats.
The event is being held at the swank Mahatma Mandir spread across 60,000 square meters. The President of Guyana, Donald R Ramotar, the minister of international relations of South Africa, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, and the vice-president of Mauritius, Monique Ohsan Bellepeau, were the chief guests at the event.


Describing Indian diaspora as `successful, prosperous and politically influential', external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj called for a `mutually rewarding' partnership with it in developing the country . “We welcome each of you -entrepreneurs, investors and professionals -from the diaspora to participate in our endeavour to develop our motherland and restore its past glory. I promise it will be a mutually rewarding and satisfying partnership,“ she told a gathering of expatriates at the 13th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas.
Swaraj said PM Narendra Modi, who inaugurated the government's annual outreach event for overseas Indians on Thursday , had taken a lead in engaging deeply with them. “ A successful, prosperous and politically influential diaspora is as much an asset to India as a strong and self-reliant India would be a source of inspiration for the diaspora,“ she added. The minister said overseas Indians had grown as a confident community of over 25 million people in the past couple of decades.
“It pleases all Indians when overseas Indian community is respected for its work culture and discipline, successful integration with the local community and outstanding contribution to their respective countries,“ she said.






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