Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], January 11 : Leaders, diplomats and foreign ministers expressed great pleasure and support on the concluding day of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Bhubaneswar, noting the optimism for future collaborations and development among the participants there.
The three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which began on January 8, concluded on Friday. The flagship event, organised by the Government of India in partnership with the Odisha government, focused on the theme 'Diaspora's Contribution to a Viksit Bharat.'
Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha KV Singh Deo highlighted the enthusiasm of the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) attending the convention. He mentioned their interest in bringing investments to Odisha, particularly in the energy, agriculture, tourism, and mining sectors.
"The three-day convention of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is concluding today and if you have seen the enthusiasm of the NRIs who came to the convention and the smile on their faces... they were telling how eager they are to bring investments to Odisha. I am confident that in the coming days, investments will come here; energy, agriculture, and the tourism and mining sectors will develop," he said.
Mahendra Gondeea, Minister of Arts and Culture, Government of Mauritius, spoke about his participation, saying, "It is a great pleasure for me to be here...I am the newly inducted minister and leading the delegation here. In the next PBD, we will try to bring more and more people here."
Vanisha Dhiru, representing UNESCO in New Zealand, shared her thoughts on the importance of the Indian diaspora maintaining strong ties to both their home countries and India.
"It is important for all Indian diaspora to belong to the country they are from but also have strong roots to India and understand the values of Hinduism, of Sikhism, of Muslims... I'm very privileged to be part of PBD 2025," she stated.
Ritu Karidhal, senior scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), expressed her appreciation for the contributions of the women in the diaspora, noting their alignment with India's vision of development.
"I am overwhelmed seeing the contribution made by mainly the women diaspora there, how they are aligning it to our vision of Viksit Bharat. So, it was amazing and we had a very interesting discussion... I am very happy connecting to the women diaspora," she said.
Over 50 countries were represented by members of the Indian diaspora, who shared insights on leadership, innovation, and cultural integration.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas brought together leaders and dignitaries from around the world to share insights and experiences that underscored resilience, cultural integration, and innovative contributions to society.
The event aimed to highlight the contributions of the diaspora toward India's development, encouraging them to be a part of the country's progress.
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