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Indian diaspora meet in Chennai
to attract 1,500 delegates
By A Staff Reporter
MUSCAT —
Preparations for the forthcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention, to be
held at the Chennai Trade Centre in Chennai on January 7-9, are in full
swing. Being organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs,
Government of India, in partnership with the Government of Tamil Nadu and
the Confederation of Indian Industry, this biggest ever PIO/NRI event in
Chennai is expected to draw over 1,500 delegates from different parts of the
world.
Ever since its inception in 2003, this annual convention has been the
biggest platform for NRIs/PIOs to engage with the government and people of
India in matters of mutual interest and for networking. These conventions
enable the Government of India to better understand the expectations of the
overseas Indians from the land of their ancestors and to acknowledge their
role in India’s all-round development.
Discussions at these conventions have been very productive and fruitful for
both the sides and have led the government to take several measures to
further strengthen the existing bonds of affinity and cultural linkage with
the people of Indian origin. Decisions taken by the government as a result
of wider consultations held at such conventions include formulation of the
Overseas Citizenship of India Scheme, establishment of Overseas Indian
Facilitation Centre, conceptualisation of a PIO University, formation of
Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council of People of Indian Origin and
setting up of an India Development Foundation.
Programmes like Know India Programme and Scholarship Programme for Diaspora
Children are designed specifically for diaspora youth. The theme of PBD-2009
is ‘Engaging the Diaspora — The way forward’. There will be four plenary
sessions entitled ‘Indian as an emerging power: the diaspora factor’;
‘Reflections on the current economic crisis: diaspora concerns’,
‘Preservation of language and culture of the Indian diaspora’ and ‘Diaspora
interaction with the states”.
Separate regional sessions on ‘Caribbean’ and ‘Canada’ would be the
distinguishing features of the forthcoming convention apart from the
regional sessions on ‘Africa’, ‘Asia-Pacific’, ‘Europe’, the ‘Gulf’ and the
‘USA’. There would be ‘building bridges’ sessions on ‘trade and investment’,
‘diaspora philanthropy’, ‘diaspora knowledge network’, ‘media and
entertainment’, ‘Health for all: role of diaspora’, and ‘Increased
Interaction with Diaspora women’.
There would be separate state sessions for the major participating states.
Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the PBD Convention
on January 8 and President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will deliver the
valedictory address on January 9. She would also confer the Pravasi
Bharatiya Samman Awards for 2009.
Apart from Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi, chief ministers of several other
states are expected to attend the event including V S Achuthananthan,
Narendra Modi, Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and Bhupender Singh Hooda. A large
number of union ministers would also be attending.
Surinam’s Vice-President Ramdien Saredjoe would be the chief guest. Angidi
Chettiar, Vice-President of Mauritius, ministers from Malaysia, Mauritius,
Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Africa and Canada are among prominent PIOs who
have confirmed their participation. Former prime minister of Fiji Mahendra
Chaudhury and former minister of Malaysia Samy Vellu would also participate.
Prominent among the speakers to address the gathering include C K Prahalad,
Sam Pitroda, Sugata Bose, Renu Khator, Shashi Tharoor, P T Usha, N Ram, Lord
Diljit Rana, Baroness Shreela Flather, Thomas Abraham, Gopinath Pillai,
Rajinder Paul Loomba, T P Naidoo, Mahyendra Utchanah, Deepak Obhrai,
Yusuffali, Prof Rajesh Chandra, Sat Pal Khattar, Hari Panday, Dr Ravi
Seethapathy, Sam Chandrasekar, Loganathan Naidoo, Meera Ravi, Justice Mohini
Murugeshan, Prof Narana Sinai Coisoro, Mohammed Dewji, Dr Alok Mukherjee,
Prof M K Gautam, Albert R Ramdin, Dr Prem Misir, Dr Philomina Ann Mohini
Harris, Anand Ramlogan and Ashok Ramsaran.
A special trade and industry exhibition with participation from corporate,
financial institutions, state governments, NGOs and others will form part of
the event. The Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) will set up a
‘market place’ at the venue to facilitate business and investment. Art
exhibitions, crafts exposition and cultural programmes would also form part
of the event. Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, said, “The
PBD-2009 has assumed greater significance in view of the global economic
crisis that created a need for increased interaction between India and the
‘people of Indian origin’. |
