The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Kamla Persad Bissessar will be the Chief Guest in the 10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). The convention is scheduled to be held at Jaipur from 7th to 9th January, 2012. Addressing a press conference here today, Shri Vayalar Ravi, the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs said that over 1300 delegates from 54 countries have registered for the event so far. Around 8 Ministers of Indian origin, 10 Central Ministers and around 10 or more Chief Ministers and other Ministers from State Governments are expected to grace the occasion.

The Minister said the theme of PBD-2012 is “Global Indian-Inclusive Growth”. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will inaugurate this annual flagship event of the Ministry on January 8, and the President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil will deliver the valedictory address on January 9 and confer the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Awards. He further said that three pre-conference Seminars are being organized, on ‘Solar Energy- Investment and R&D’, ‘Social Entrepreneurship-Water’ and ‘Health’. The PBD Oration this year will be given by eminent economist and management expert Prof. Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. He also announced that the event would be webcast online and a summary of its proceedings will be released every day. The interactive website would provide an opportunity for the Diaspora to participate in the conference from any part of the world. The Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre will organize a market place for business delegates.

The PBD-2012 is being held in partnership with the Government of Rajasthan and The Confederation of Indian Industry is the institutional partner. India’s rich culture will be depicted in the evening programmes being presented for the delegates. The first of these cultural programmes on 7th January, 2012 will be hosted by the External Affairs Minister, the second on the 8th January by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and the grand finale on 9th January by the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs.

PKM
(Release ID :79363)