By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS
New Delhi : The 2008 edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), the annual conclave of the Indian diaspora, will be held here Jan 8-9 – two days instead of the usual three.
A senior official of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) said that unlike in previous editions, when the event was spread over three days – usually Jan 7 to 9 – this time the ministry had cut it down to two days “because three days becomes too long an affair”.
“The process of online registration of delegates will start shortly,” the official, who as per rules could not be named, told IANS.
Work would also start soon to shortlist the nominees for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award, which the president confers on the recipients during the valedictory session of the event.
The ministry is also holding a mini PBD in New York Sep 23.
“The mini PBD will be the inaugural event of an ‘India at 60’ celebration that will be held in New York to mark 60 years of India’s independence,” he said.
‘India at 60’ will run from Sep 23 to 27 and is being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), MOIA and the ministries of textiles and tourism.
The MOIA official said that a request had been made to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s office to have him inaugurate the event when he visits there to attend the UN General Assembly session.
Giving details of the mini PBD, he said: “The first half of the day will be devoted to investment opportunities for overseas Indians, while the second half will look at opportunities for partnerships in education and health.”
The event will primarily target overseas Indians in North America.
Indian Americans, numbering around 2.3 million, are considered the most educated and affluent among all immigrant groups in the US. In Canada, overseas Indians number around 800,000.