PBD serves as a platform to acknowledge the contribution of Indian diaspora in various fields
OdishaPlus Bureau
The biennial Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention being organized for the first time in Odisha kickstarted on Wednesday, marking the Purvodaya Mission and Act East policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As Secretary (CPV&OIA) in the Ministry of External Affairs Arun Kumar Chatterjee said, “The central government decided to organize the convention in Odisha under its Puvodaya initiative to showcase the potential the state holds in the field of culture, economy, and commerce”.
“Odisha has been recognized as a leader in various sectors including mining, marine economy, sports, skilled manpower, and knowledge economy. With its abundant mineral and other natural resources, the state is also rich in culture, history, religious sites, and spiritual heritage. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will provide an opportunity for Odisha to showcase its potential as a key tourism destination,” Chatterjee had said.
The event serves as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of more than 35.4 million Indian diaspora in various fields of economics, culture, and politics to both India and the host countries.
The Indian diaspora has emerged as one of the largest sources of remittance in the world. They are the biggest contributor to India’s economy and have an important role to play in Viksit Bharat. The diaspora acts as a living bridge between their motherland and their adopted homeland. Since they are socially, culturally, and economically connected with their motherland, the Prime Minister described them as Rashtra Doot (Ambassador) of India.
The PBD offers an opportunity for dialogue between the Indian government and overseas Indians on various policy issues, investment opportunities, and community welfare.
The first day of the convention was celebrated as the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. On Thursday, the convention will begin with the inaugural address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will also launch the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train designed for the Indian diaspora.
This unique initiative is part of the Pravasi Teertha Darshan Yojana aimed at offering diaspora members an opportunity to visit spiritual and cultural destinations across India for three weeks.
The Odisha government also offers the delegates an opportunity to have a glimpse and feel of its rich cultural heritage embodied in its intrinsic and diverse art forms and different popular festivals by conducting their visits to several places of touristic and cultural attractions near Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack, and Jajpur.
The state government has identified 21 tourist spots for this purpose. Arrangements have been made to serve several cuisines of Odisha to the delegates during the event.
#PravasiBharatiyaDivas2025 #PBD2025 #PurvodayaMission #ActEastPolicy #Odisha #Bhubaneswar #DiasporaUnity #GlobalIndianCommunity #CulturalExchange #ViksitBharat #ViksitOdisha #IndianDiaspora #InvestInOdisha
