95 years ago, as India struggled to develop its own identity, a small unassuming man disembarked from a ship sailing from South Africa. Word about his successes in South Africa had already spread in India, and there were many at hand to welcome him home. But none could have foreseen that the fortunes of India would depend on this person. Mahatma Gandhi had arrived.
Commemorating this seminal event in the history of the nation,the return of our greatest Indians from overseas, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas once again celebrates the ontributions of Overseas Indians and re-invokes their synergies with the land of their ancestry.
Instituted in 2003, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has taken pole position in engagement of the Indian diaspora with their native country. It is the flagship event of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, being held in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry as its institutional partner. This year, the Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER) and State Governments of the eight Northeastern states of India are partners and focus for the event.
Being held for the ninth consecutive year, the PBD conventions are envisioned as the primary platform for engagement of diaspora with India and with each other. The community of Overseas Indians numbers some 25 million persons, present in over 185 countries across the world, and representing a range of occupations and professions, development and prosperity, and time periods overseas. Recognising that Overseas Indians would wish to participate in the development of their native land, as well as the fact that they have certain expectations from India, the PBD convention facilitates understanding between the two sides. The PBD agenda includes interaction with top Indian Ministers, State Chief Ministers and officials as well as prominent Overseas Indians in a structured and productive manner.
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is the nodal agency for promoting and facilitating diaspora-India engagement. Established in May 2004 as the ''''''''Ministry of Non-Resident Indians'''''''' Affairs'''''''', it was renamed the ''''''''Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs'''''''' (MOIA) in September 2004. Headed by a Cabinet Minister, and with four functional service divisions – Diaspora Services, Financial Services, Employment Services and Management Services – A small team of officers works in a stratified and multimodal manner to meet imperatives relating to Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Non-Resident Indians (NRI).