Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023

Subject :International relations

External affairs minister S Jaishankar inaugurated the Youth Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday and said that the energies of young India are increasingly visible.
The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is being organized in partnership with the Madhya Pradesh Government in Indore.
The theme of this PBD Convention is “Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal”
The convention will have three segments:
The Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be inaugurated on 8 January 2023. Ms. Zaneta Mascarenhas, Member of Parliament of Australia, will be the Guest of Honour at the event.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the PBD convention on 09 January 2023. The event will feature the addresses of the Chief Guest Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and the Special Guest of Honour Mr. Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname.
President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu will confer Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2023 and preside over the Valedictory Session on 10 January 2023.

About Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January every year to mark the contribution of the Overseas Indian community in the development of India.
9th January was chosen as the day to celebrate PBD since it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, returned to India from South Africa, led India’s freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.
This day came into effect in 2003, but in 2015 it was revised and was decided to be celebrated every two years.
It was then a theme-based conference that was set up every year during the interim period.
PBD Conventions are held once every two years.
PBD 2021: The 16th PBD Convention was held virtually in New Delhi. The theme was “Contributing to Atmanirbhar Bharat”.
On this day, the Government also confers Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.
It is the highest honour conferred on a Non-Resident Indian, Person of Indian Origin; or an organisation or institution established and run by Non-Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin, who have made significant contribution in better understanding of India abroad, support India’s causes and concerns in a tangible way.

Significance:

This day plays a significant role as the overseas Indian community gets a shared platform to get themselves engaged with the government and the native people of the land.
The conventions are very useful in networking among the overseas Indian community residing in various parts of the world and enable them to share their experiences in various fields.