Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 11: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday described the Indian diaspora as a “living bridge” between India and the world, highlighting its contribution to the global exchange of ideas, knowledge, innovation, culture and enterprise.
Speaking at the launch of the website for the 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention 2027 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi, Jaishankar said the Indian diaspora was an integral part of India's present and an important stakeholder in the country's future.
The website was jointly launched by Jaishankar and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The 19th PBD Convention will be held in Kolkata from January 7 to 9 next year in partnership with the West Bengal government.
“The Indian diaspora thereby serves as a living bridge between India and the world. It contributes to the global exchange of ideas, knowledge, innovation, culture and enterprise. Now, the diaspora is not merely connected to India through its past; it is also an integral part of India's present and an important stakeholder of India's future,” Jaishankar said.
The theme for the convention is ‘From Roots to Return: Reigniting Diaspora Connect with Bharat’. Jaishankar said it reflected India's efforts to strengthen the connection of overseas Indians with their civilisational, cultural and ancestral roots.
The theme also seeks to provide opportunities for younger generations of the diaspora to rediscover their heritage, understand contemporary India and build a stronger and lasting connection with the land of their ancestors, he added.
Highlighting the diaspora's role in India's development, Jaishankar said its knowledge, expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, technological capabilities and global networks would contribute significantly to the country's growth as it moves towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
He also said that India's progress, expanding opportunities and new avenues would encourage overseas Indians to collaborate, reconnect and contribute further to the country's development.
The 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, he said, would provide an opportunity to celebrate shared heritage and renew the partnership for the future.
Describing Kolkata as a city with a special place in India's history and that of the Indian diaspora, Jaishankar recalled that many Indians had set sail from the city to Mauritius, Fiji and the Caribbean, carrying their languages, customs and faith with them.
“Their journeys, often marked by sacrifice and hardship, actually laid the foundations of a global Indian presence,” he said.