Pravasi Bhartiya Divas gearing up to welcome UAE’s Indian Diaspora to Indore

PHOTO

Dubai - The 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) is set to welcome a huge delegation of Indian expats from the UAE into Indore, India.

Apart from inviting Indian diaspora in the UAE to attend the PBD Convention, other details pertaining to registration and travel emerged during a meet-and-greet session with a delegation from the India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday in Dubai.

Heads of Indian community groups in the UAE also convened to express their solidarity and enthusiasm to participate in the flagship event of the Government of India.

The theme of BPD Convention 2023 is 'Diaspora: Reliable partners for India's progress in Amrit Kaal' that will be held between January 8-10, 2023 and will see the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the event on January 9, 2023.

Shedding light on how this event is a platform to engage with the overseas Indian Diaspora, Anurag Bhushan, MEA Joint Secretary for Overseas Indian Affairs, and the former Consul General of India in Dubai, said: “It is organised every two years, and this is the largest gathering of the Indian diaspora. We are happy that finally we are going to have a physical event after a gap of four years."

"The last one was held virtually in 2021. This edition is going to happen in Indore, and we are looking forward to our Indian community worldwide, participating in large numbers."

The event that is gearing up to witness one of the largest gatherings of Indian investors and businessmen from the UAE and beyond. Bhushan encouraged potential participants to go to the website, https://pbdindia.gov.in/ to receive more information.

Talking about keeping the registration fees reasonable, to bolster maximum participation, Bhushan adds, “We recognise that in order to encourage participation, the cost has to be reasonable. The website of the event is already up and running. The registration fee is a very small component of the entire cost that will come about."

"But we are also ensuring that we give discounts to people who register early or people who register in groups even more so. Other costs such as transport and accommodation are also kept pretty reasonable. The Madhya Pradesh government is also working very hard to ensure that that the stay of our Indian brethren is as comfortable as possible.”

Elucidating on how the event is poised to be he says, “The event is for community, by the community and of the community. The structure of this event will come about after suggestions and advice from the Indian community at large.”

Talks with airlines and chartered flights for the event

Discussions would focus on topics that concern the Indian community and issues that they deal with.

Bhushan says, “There are direct flights from Dubai to Indore and there are multiple flights from Delhi as well as other big cities in India. We are in touch with the Civil Aviation ministry. We are also in touch with other airlines. I think if there is a large enough number (of people), we’ll be able to do something about the (even chartered) flights."

"Flights, I don’t think should be a limiting factor for Indians to participate. It also comes soon after the holiday season. So, I understand many of the Indian committee members would actually be in India. It might be very convenient for them to travel directly from their hometown or wherever they are to Indore. Madhya Pradesh, in general, has a lot of tourist attractions and places of interest for our Indian community. It will be a stay that people will remain and have fond memories of, for a long time.”

During the convention, selected overseas Indians are also honoured with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to recognize their contributions to various fields both in India and abroad.

Shining a spotlight on the upcoming event and encouraging Indians in Dubai and Northern Emirates to attend the event.

Consul General of India in Dubai Dr Aman Puri said, “Everybody is looking to participate enthusiastically in the Bhartiya Pravasi Divas (PBD) 2023. We are looking forward to it and we are certain that the largest delegation will be coming into the PBD, will be from the UAE. Various associations and their representatives have assured us that they would be encouraging their members to participate as a group, which will be very convenient for everyone. We will also be talking to the airlines for operating special charter flights for the same."

“There is also the possibility of some of the business leaders travelling two days before the PBD 2023 because there's the Investment Summit, for which again, we are absolutely certain that a large delegation of entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and other industry leaders and stakeholders will be there. With the signing of the CEPA, the business relation, and the investment relationship between UAE and India is on an upswing and we are at a historic inflection point in the relationship. So, the participation of Indian community at the PBD will truly reflect this very strong relationship between the two countries.”

Senior community leaders like Kamal Vachani, Group Director and Partner Almaya Group, also pointed out how community members are eager to participate in the upcoming event in a big way. He said, “we are still deciding on the numbers. But it’s a big affair, as (it is happening in-person) after four years… the Indian diaspora is looking forward to it. The UAE has such a large Indian population. And we would like to be there along with the delegation and other Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPI) members.”