The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention commenced in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Wednesday, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar urging NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) to actively contribute to the vision of a ‘viksit Bharat’.

The event began with the inauguration of the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas by Mr. Jaishankar, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandviya, and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the inaugural session on Thursday, while President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the valedictory session on Friday, the officials said.

Addressing the Indian diaspora at the event, Mr. Jaishankar said, “Let me take the opportunity to urge you on behalf of Prime Minister Modi to promote India as a tourism destination. If young Indian PIOs bring their equally young friends from abroad to explore our uniquely rich and diverse heritage and culture, this will surely become a lifelong habit”.

Mr. Jaishankar said it is critical to invest in youths to achieve their full potential, as he highlighted various campaigns and programmes to develop India undertaken since 2014 under the leadership of PM Modi.

“Whether it is Swacch Bharat or Beti Padhao, Awas or Anna Yojana, Mudra or Swanidhi, Ayushman Bharat or Jal Jeevan, each one of them has been a transformational effort. However, if you were to see them in their entirety, connecting those dots will give you an appreciation of how we are securing the future of our youth. They will help bring their skills and creativity to the fore, ensuring that India’s talents are fully available to the global workplace”, the minister asserted.

He also said it is essential that efforts are stepped up to keep the diaspora continuously connected, given the rapidity of changes underway.

Recalling the Covid pandemic and India’s potential in tackling the situation, Mr. Jaishankar said the country demonstrated a remarkable resilience and strong recovery thereafter. “The very country that was predicted to go under ended up supplying vaccines and medicines to the entire world”, he said, addressing the Indian diaspora.

“A different but equally telling example is what we see in the realm of space, where there is growing competition internationally. Our Chandrayaan-3 landing, the Aditya L1 observatory, and the proposed Gaganyaan mission are powerful inspirations. In a digital era, the scale of UPI transactions speaks volumes both of our infrastructure and of our mindsets. The new India, with 90,000 startups and 100 plus unicorns, has calling cards like Drone Didi, Atal tinkering labs, hackathons, green hydrogen mission or nano-fertilisers”, he said.

Underscoring India’s efforts to stay connected with the diaspora, he said the country also regularly welcomes PIO journalists.

Talking about Odisha, Mr. Jaishankar said its cultural festivals and religious and archaeological sites are a reminder “why we in India consider ourselves to be a civilisational society”.

“It is equally a living testament to the developmental progress in all its dimensions. And when it comes to the youth, their optimism and energy is very much on display in Odisha, whether it is in institutions of learning or those we encounter in daily life”, he said.

Mr. Mandviya, speaking on the occasion, also emphasised the importance of youth leadership. He urged the diaspora to contribute to India's progress and bring the country into the global spotlight, aligning with the vision of a 'viksit Bharat'.

Mr. Majhi said the State welcomes the Indian Diaspora with an open heart. “Your success abroad brings happiness tp us,” he said.

Trinidad and Tobago's President, Christine Carla Kangaloo, is the chief guest for this edition of the convention, which is centered around the theme 'Diaspora's Contribution to a Viksit Bharat.' She will address the event virtually.

Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja had previously stated that the Odisha government is making every effort to highlight the state's rich culture and heritage to the NRIs attending from 50 countries.

"Each delegate of the convention will play the role of an ambassador of Odisha tourism, and we are hopeful that the state's rich culture and heritage will fetch tourists from different countries," he said.

Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (CPV & OIA) Arun Kumar Chatterjee said the Indian diaspora is working as the 'living bridge' between the country where they stayed or worked and their motherland.

"The Indian diaspora has emerged as one of the largest sources of remittance in the world. The diaspora stands at 35.4 million, including 19.5 million Persons of Indian Origins (PIOs) and 15.8 million NRIs. This diaspora that we have is one of our biggest strengths", Mr. Chatterjee said.

The previous edition of the annual convention took place in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.