Three-Day Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Kicks Off, India To Focus On NRI Youth

India is looking to have a healthy and energetic connect with Non-Resident Indian youth not only for funds, inflows and emotional connect but also for the flow of fabulous ideas so that young members of the diaspora can contribute towards the development of the Indian economy. It is with this theme that the much-awaited, three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas gets underway. Dalal Street Investment Journal is the reporting partner for this coveted event.

The event will be inaugurated on January 8, 2014 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, while the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, will deliver the valedictory address on January 9 and confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards. Y B Datuk Seri Palanivel, Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, will officiate as the Chief Guest at this edition of the awards. Along with various union ministers and the Chief Ministers of Kerala, Meghalaya, Goa and Haryana, Narendra Modi, CM of Gujarat will also address the gathering.

At the inaugural function, Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), exhorted the diaspora and the Indian youth to come together in developing strong networks to forge partnerships in trade, industry, entrepreneurship and social work. This will lead to creation of wealth and employment, which will benefit the masses at large. “Our goal should be to build a strong global connect of youth for this purpose”, the Minister said.

“The MOIA has been at the forefront in engaging the youth diaspora residing in various countries by introducing various schemes and projects like the Know India Programme (KIP), Study India Programme (SIP) and Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC). These schemes have benefitted the diaspora youth as well as the growth and development story of their mother country", Ravi said.

Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports and Minister of State for Defence, announced that the Government of India was in the process of introducing a new National Youth Policy. This policy will focus on developing the youth into a productive workforce by providing them the right education and skills and promoting entrepreneurship, developing a strong and healthy generation through effective healthcare and promotion of a healthy lifestyle and sports, as well as promoting social values and the spirit of community service.

Speaking at the Plenary Session of Youth, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Manish Tewari, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Information and Broadcasting said that the internet represented the largest ungoverned space on earth, and every two days more data is produced than since the dawn of civilization to the year 2000. This technology has given rise to a virtual civilisation that allows young people who have the desire and passion to connect with others with similar aspirations around the world.

Tewari said that during his overseas travel in recent months he discovered that the younger generation has a common aspiration: to make a life for themselves and make the world a better place to live in. In this context, he suggested that Pravasi Bharatiya Divas should evolve a non-formal connect in an unstructured manner to allow the youth across the world to connect with one another seamlessly.

In his address, Sachin Pilot, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Corporate Affairs stated that it is now imperative to have overseas Indian youth more involved in India’s development. For this, we should have a closer and more vibrant connect with them. I think youth should have a greater role in development of the Indian economy not only in terms of funds inflows but also for the flow of ideas, and India must be nurtured as a country of enormous opportunity.

The three-day event will see a host of speakers from across the globe and help to strengthen the relationship with Indians residing abroad.