Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas gets underway at a glittering function

Indore (Madhya Pradesh)

India could emerge as the fifth-largest economy in the world in 2022 by overtaking those who ruled the country for 200 years, this was stated by Union Information and Broadcasting and Minister of Youth Affairs Anurag Thakur. 

He was speaking at the inaugural function of the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) as part of the 

commencement of the three-day PBD convention. Australia's Member of Parliament, Zaneta Mascarenhas, was the guest of honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event and the occasion was graced among others by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and also three Ministers of State

in MEA V Muraleedharan, Meenakashi Lekhi and Dr Ranjan Kumar Singh. 

The theme of the 17th edition of the convention is 'Diaspora: Reliable partners for India's progress in 

Amrit Kaal'. More than 3,500 diaspora members from nearly 70 countries have registered for the convention.

When the world was fighting the pandemic, Indian youth saw an opportunity for launching start-ups, remarked

Minister Anurag Thakur. He urged the young Indian diaspora to "innovate, invest and initiate ideas in India". 

India could become the third largest nation with start-ups, he said.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention is being held in physical mode for the first time since 2019. 

In his address, Dr Jaishankar highlighted the changes India has seen in the last eight years since 2014.

"Those of you who are coming to India after a gap would surely notice the many changes that have taken 

place, I would say in the last eight years but especially in the last three years. Notable among them is the 

extraordinary scale of digital delivery that has made possible access to social benefits and that too without leakage,"

the Minister said. 

“Our efforts have been to encourage easier exposure [for diaspora] to Indian culture and traditions. Many of our

embassies, in fact most of them, offer yoga, dance and music classes and we have asked them to support and facilitate community functions and collective activities,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti initiative has brought in a sea change.  "But most of all, you would 

sense the optimism in our society and the highlighting of the role of the youth. Whether it is start-ups or sports, 

whether it is technology usage or tourism, the energies of young India are increasingly visible," Dr Jaishankar

said.

Dr Jaishankar and also Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan requested the guests to visit the city’s 

Sarafa Bazar and ‘56 Dukan’ market areas which offer mouth-watering dishes. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the PBD convention on Monday. 

Guyana President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali will be the chief guest and the Republic of Suriname President 

Chandrikapersad Santokhi will be the special guest of honour.

President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2023 and preside over the 

valedictory session on Tuesday, Jan 10th.

ends