Come January 9, 2004 and over 2000 people of Indian origin (PIOs) and Non-resident Indians from over 70 countries are expected to gather at New Delhi's Vigyan Bhavan for a three-day conference to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. These members of the great Indian Diaspora will not only debate issues that affect Indian communities abroad, their expectations from and relations with India but also explore possibilities of creating networks with each other and resident Indians for the benefit of the entire global Indian family.
Ninth January 2003 marked a turning point in India's relations with people of Indian origin (PIOs) and non-resident Indians. Around 2000 NRIs/PIOs from 62 countries and 1500 resident Indian delegates converged in New Delhi's Pragati Maidan to celebrate the first Pravasi Bhartiya Divas-a three-day annual event conceived by the Ministry of External Affairs and co-organized by it with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
The Pravasi Divas was just one of the recommendations of the high-level committee on the Indian Diaspora appointed by the government. Headed by Dr LM Singhvi, MP and former high commissioner to the UK, the committee made significant recommendations spanning numerous issues like dual citizenship for Indians settled abroad, and more engagement in culture, education, trade and investment flows between the Diaspora and India. The day chosen for the event, January 9, is symbolic as it was on this day in 1915, that one of the greatest non-resident Indians, Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa to India.
This first Pravasi Divas was the largest gathering of the Global Indian Family officially hosted by the government of India. The Pravasi conference has been created as a platform for an intensive and extensive discussion between members of the Indian Diaspora and the government of India and resident Indians to define a policy framework for sustained engagement for mutual advantage.
It is also a platform to create a web like network among the 20 million strong Indian Diaspora spread across 110 countries. Above all, the event was an occasion to celebrate the numerous achievements of Indian communities abroad. To demonstrate the government's recognition of the Diaspora's accomplishments Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who inaugurated the event, conferred Bhartiya Samman Awards on ten eminent NRIs/PIOs.
Lauding the Diaspora's achievements. Mr. Vajpayee welcomed the delegates with a couplet: "Videsh mein desh ki shaan banayi, Bharat ki pehchan…Sada hamare dil me baste, kaise kahen mehman." He went on to say " We invite you not only to share our vision in the new millennium but also to help us shape its contours. We do not want your investment we also want your ideas. We do not want your riches we want the richness of your experience."
Prime Minister of Mauritius, Rt Hon'ble Sir Anerood Jugnauth-who led a large delegation of PIOs from his country- praised the unique initiative taken by the government of India. He said: "Your efforts in promoting the interests of the people of Indian Origin worldwide and establishing dynamic and interactive networks are very commendable."
Sir Jugnauth was just one of the galaxy of eminent PIOs/NRIs who addressed the mammoth gathering. The 134-strong list of panelists was drawn from both developed and developing countries. These included two Nobel laureates, political leaders and cabinet ministers from 12 countries, leading scientists, professionals like doctors, teachers and management gurus, bankers and financiers, IT and other hi-tech whiz kids, business magnates and multimillionaires and development activists from NGOs.
The event began with an invocation by two Bharat Ratnas, Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Bismillah Khan. This was the first time the two giants of Indian classical music played together and their jugalbandi cast a magical spell over the audience. Another first was the tri-services mass band display at Vijay Chowk similar to the Beating of the retreat that marks the end of the Republic Day Parade each year.
Apart from the PM the conference was addressed by the Deputy Prime minister and Union Cabinet Ministers for External Affairs, Finance, HRD, Tourism, Information and Broadcasting. Three Chief ministers of Indian states also addressed special sessions convened for state governments.
The sheer scale and unique significance of the event, the presence of so many luminaries from India and abroad, the diversity of the discussions, policy announcements such as the PM's decision to confer dual citizenship on PIOs/NRIs attracted journalists from across the world. For three days running the event made headline news both in print and electronic media.
The second Pravasi Divas to be held from January 9 to 11 would match the first in scale, substance and grandeur. Apart from the inaugural session with the PM, the conference would have plenary sessions with the Ministers of Finance, External Affairs, HRD and Science and Technology, as also the Deputy PM, Shri LK Advani and Leader of the Opposition, Ms Sonia Gandhi. In addition, on the second day there would be parallel sessions and round tables with cabinet ministers on Knowledge-based industries, health, tourism and culture, disinvestments, commerce, and infrastructure.
The second Pravasi Divas has a special focus on the younger generation and a plenary session would discuss how to evolve programmes for engaging the second and later generation youth with Indian heritage, culture and way of life. Other areas of special focus include NRIs in the Gulf and Personal International Law.
The second Pravasi Divas would have its share of fun and entertainment as well. The first Pravasi Divas treated delegates to an evening of musical performances by artists drawn from the Diaspora to showcase how Indian culture has intermingled with and enriched other cultures in different countries. There was chutney music- a variant of Bhojpuri-by Chris Ram Khilawan from Surinam, Bhangra pop by Malkit Singh from the UK and fusion music by Trilok Gurtu and Vikku Vinayak Ram. The second evening featured Bollywood stars like Shahrukh Khan, Aiswarya Rai, Akshay and Urmila, and Saif Ali Khan.
This time round too there would be an evening of musical performances by Diaspora artists drawn from a number of countries. The second evening would present a unique extravaganza comprising multimedia-dance drama and fashion show to depict the Indian tradition of fashion and shringar as it has evolved over the last 2500 years. Being produced by Muzaffar Ali the show would be held at the historic Red Fort.
In addition the delegates would be taken to a culinary journey through India. During the first Pravasi chefs were flown in from various states to present dishes representative of almost all regional cuisines of India. At the two theme dinners and three lunches hundreds of different dishes were offered to provide a wholesome taste of India. This time too, food would be a major attraction.
In sum, NRIs and PIOs who register for the second Pravasi Bhartiya Divas can look forward to a great networking opportunity, strike new business alliances across more than a dozen sectors, entertain themselves with nuggets of Indian culture and get a taste of the finest tradition of Indian cuisine. What the Pravasi Divas offers to the Diaspora is lot more than just connecting with India and discovering its roots.
