Varanasi to roll out red carpet for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas today

The temple town of Varanasi is set to roll out red carpet for non-resident Indian (NRI) guests for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) programme to be held here from January 21-23.

This year’s PBD celebration, being organised in the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is based on the theme ‘Role of Indian diaspora in building New India’.

According to officials, a total of 4,150 NRI delegates from 85 countries will attend the event and approximately 1,000 of them will be staying in the tent city, specially built for them. Though the programme will begin on January 21 with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath welcoming the guests, the PM will formally inaugurate the event on January 22. President Ram Nath Kovind will attend the programme on the last day -- January 23. On the opening day, information and broadcasting minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore will meet around 700 NRI guests. In the evening, the guests will hold a discussion with BHU students on various issues. UP sports minister Chetan Chauhan will host their dinner. On January 22, the PM will address the NRIs and have lunch with his Mauritius counterpart and chief guest of the event Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and 53 special NRI dignitaries.

A special hexagonal table has been prepared at the PM’s lounge at Deendayal Upadhyay Trade Facilitation Centre.

Jugnauth has his roots in Uttar Pradesh as his ancestors belonged to Rasra village in Ballia district. According to officials familiar with the event, Jugnauth will also travel to his ancestral village during his stay in India. “The event is aimed at helping the NRIs connect with their roots. It also aims to draw investment in the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh, to give momentum to growth,” a senior officer, who did not wish to be named, said.