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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday expressed his optimism about the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and believed that the event would be a success.
Jaishankar, while talking to ANI, said that the convention will offer a valuable opportunity for interaction between the diaspora and the ministers, who will highlight the country's development in past years. "The arrangements are good. The convention will start from tomorrow. The Youth PBD will be held tomorrow, as is customary. On January 9, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the convention. On January 10, President Droupadi Murmu will also be there and will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards on 27 distinguished members of the Indian diaspora. Different panels are also set up. Several ministers will be there and explain to the diaspora the developments that have taken place in India," he told ANI. Jaishankar also emphasised that the event will provide grounds for Odisha's tourism to spread across the world. "I believe the event will be good. I would like to say that the special element of coming to Odisha is that the culture, heritage, and history of Odisha are to be kept in front of our Indian community, which is spread all over the world. And how to take Odisha to the global stage with that experience after the PBD. There will be three different exhibitions, which will be interesting. And it will be an opportunity to connect with the people of Orissa," he said. Jaishankar further told ANI that intellectuals do not go empty-handed. They spread the word among others. This is how the diaspora will tell others and encourage them to visit Odisha. "Intellectuals don't go empty-handed. In the Gulf, there are 90 lakhs of Indian citizens, and a large number of them are from Orissa. So, people go out to work because the world has become a global workplace. These people then become a bridge for us. They create an impression of Indians in the outside world. This shows that as people leave India, they remain rooted here. They are an investment of India to the world," he said. Jaishankar further expressed his optimism and said that just as it happened after the G20, even PBD will help enhance tourism in Odisha. "I think that there will be good development of tourism in Orissa. Because if you think about it, just like what happened in G20, every person who comes, becomes an influencer. He will go to his country, to his family, and encourage others, that this was a very good experience for him, you should also go there. So tourism will get an increase. And it will become a global image of Orissa," he told ANI. Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, is all set to host the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2025, with several content creators and overseas Indians invited to participate in the event. The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will take place in Bhubaneswar from 8-10 January. (ANI)
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