Be part of ‘Viksit Bharat’ journey: EAM at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
The three-day convention, being held at the Janta Maidan in Odisha’s capital city, began with the inauguration of the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas by Jaishankar, Union youth affairs and sports minister Mansukh Mandviya, and chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday kicked off the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in Bhubaneswar, calling upon persons of Indian origins (PIOs) and non-resident Indians (NRIs) to actively participate in the journey to “Viksit Bharat” (developed India).
The three-day convention, being held at the Janta Maidan in Odisha’s capital city, began with the inauguration of the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas by Jaishankar, Union youth affairs and sports minister Mansukh Mandviya, and chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the inaugural session on Thursday, while President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the valedictory session on Friday, officials said.
“Let me take the opportunity to urge you on behalf of Prime Minister Modi to promote India as a tourism destination. If young Indian PIOs bring their equally young friends from abroad to explore our uniquely rich and diverse heritage and culture, this will surely become a lifelong habit,” Jaishankar said, addressing the Indian diaspora during the inaugural ceremony.
The Union minister underscored the importance of investing in youths in order to achieve their full potential and highlighted various campaigns and programmes undertaken by the PM Modi-led government since 2014 to develop India.
“Whether it is Swachh Bharat or Beti Padhao, Awas or Anna Yojana, Mudra or Svanidhi, Ayushman Bharat or Jal Jeevan, each one of them has been a transformational effort. However, if you were to see them in their entirety, connecting those dots will give you an appreciation of how we are securing the future of our youth. They will help bring their skills and creativity to the fore, ensuring that India’s talents are fully available to the global workplace,” he asserted.
More than 5,000 NRIs and PIOs from 50 countries have assembled in Bhubaneswar for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas — which is celebrated on January 9 every year since 2003 to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community in the development of the country. The day marks the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa in 1915.
Emphasising the importance of India’s diaspora, which he termed as “living bridge” that connects India to the world, Jaishankar said it is essential that efforts are stepped up to keep the diaspora continuously connected, given the rapidity of changes underway.
Highlighting India’s achievements, Jaishankar cited the country’s response to the Covid pandemic, where India emerged as a global supplier of vaccines and medicines, defying initial predictions. “The very country that was predicted to go under ended up supplying vaccines and medicines to the entire world,” he said.
He also noted India’s digital progress and accomplishments in the space sector. “A different but equally telling example is what we see in the realm of space, where there is a growing competition internationally. Our Chandrayaan-3 landing, the Aditya L1 observatory and the proposed Gaganyaan mission are powerful inspirations. In a digital era, the scale of UPI transactions speaks volumes both of our infrastructure and of our mindsets. The new India, with 90,000 startups and 100 plus unicorns, has calling cards like Drone Didi, Atal tinkering labs, hackathons, green hydrogen mission or nano-fertilisers,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Union minister Mandviya also emphasised the importance of youth leadership. He urged the diaspora to “contribute to India’s progress and bring the country into the global spotlight, aligning with the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’”.
CM Mohan Majhi said Odisha offers myriad opportunities in technology, renewable energy, infrastructure development, education and tourism. “We also value the role of the diasporas in promoting ‘Brand Odisha’ globally. You are our ambassadors, bridging cultures and creating opportunities for Odisha on the world stage. The culture and heritage of Odisha are unique,” he said, while addressing the convention on Day 1. He appealed to the people of Bhubaneswar to decorate their houses as they do on Diwali.
