The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention is being organised in partnership with the state government of Odisha from 8-10 January 2025 in Bhubaneswar. The theme of this PBD convention is "Diaspora's Contribution to a Viksit Bharat", a statement by the ministry of external affairs said.
A large number of Indian diaspora members from over 50 different countries have registered to participate in the convention.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the convention on January 9. It will feature a virtual address by the chief guest, Christine Carla Kangaloo, President of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
PM Modi will remotely flag-off the inaugural journey of the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train for the Indian diaspora, which will depart from the Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi and would travel to multiple destinations of touristic and religious importance in India for a period of three weeks. The Pravasi Bharatiya Express will be conducted under the Pravasi Teertha Darshan Yojana of the ministry of external affairs.
PM Modi will also inaugurate four exhibitions at the convention: Vishwaroop Ram, an exhibition presenting the timeless epic of Ramayana through a curated juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary art forms; diaspora's contribution to technology and Viksit Bharat, which will acknowledge the contributions of the Indian diaspora to the development of technology in the world; spread and evolution of Indian diaspora in the world with special focus on Mandvi to Muscat. This exhibition will showcase rare documents of people who had migrated from Mandvi in Gujarat to Muscat in Oman; and heritage and culture of Odisha which will showcase the rich heritage and cultural traditions of Odisha through its different art and craft forms and highlight its illustrious legacy.
President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the valedictory session of the convention on 10 January. She will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2025 upon select members of the Indian diaspora to recognize their achievements and to honour their contributions in various fields in India and abroad, the MEA announced.
The MEA said that the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held on January 8 in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Dr Dev Pragad, CEO of Newsweek, will be the guest of honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
