Gandhinagar, Jan 9 (IANS) The three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, attended by around 4,000 diaspora members, came to an end with the conferment of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards by Vice President Hamid Ansari to 15 prominent diaspora members.
Those recipients of the Samman, the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians, were Guyanese President Donald Rabindernauth Ramaotar; Mala Mehta from Australia; Kamaljeet Bakshi from New Zealand; Ashraf Palarakunnummal and Bharatkumar Jayantilal Shah from UAE; Essop Esoop Goolam from South Africa; Rajmal M. Parakh from Oman; Justice Doraikannu Karunakaran from Seychelles; Sanjaya Rajaram from Mexico; Lord Raj Loomba and Nathu Ram Puri from Britain; Mahendra Nanji Mehta from Uganda and Nandini Tandon and Kamlesh Lulla from the US.
Lisa Singh from Australia, who could not receive the award last year, received the Samman, while A. Satyanarayana Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, who was named for the award was not present.
Ansari congratulated the awardees and said India is grateful for their contributions to society.
Terming then "deserving recipients of this recognition", he said: "Through their exemplary work, they have also proved to be outstanding envoys of peace, friendship and cooperation between India and countries of their residence."
Ansari said that overseas Indians are "in virtually every country and region of the world", and recited an Urdu phrase to describe their ubiquitous presence: "Jidhar dekhta hoon faqat tu hi tu hai (wherever I look I see only you)".
He said the overseas Indians, ranging from blue collars workers to doctors, engineers, IT professionals and business persons, have multiple identities but "a common denominator is their emotional bond to India, and to its cultural legacy.
"They cherish it, individually and collectively, and so do we here. The institution of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is an occasion of bonding," he said.
Ansari said that the NRI remittances comprise an important element in India's balance of payments and the "continuing liberalisation of the Indian economy, and the most recent policy initiatives taken or proposed by the government are expected to galvanise the involvement of the overseas Indians in the many fields of economic activity".
Noting that relationships "are not a one-way street", the vice president said that "the Overseas Indians have expectations aimed at facilitating and intensifying their involvement with India".
"The government of India, and the state governments, have acknowledged the validity of these sentiments and taken or initiated steps to attract, assist and promote a deeper and multifaceted relationship, which is mutually beneficial and long lasting. We in India attach highest importance to issues of interest and concern to the overseas Indians," he said.
He said that the diaspora can play an important role in the development of India with their knowledge and resources and their experience of other lands where similar efforts were pursued successfully.
Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Sushma Swaraj, in her speech, said that the Narendra Modi government "has been specially proactive in nurturing the bonds" with the diaspora.
"The diaspora is close to Prime Minister Modi's heart. Wherever he has gone, he has made a passionate appeal to NRIs and PIOs to be partners in India's ongoing journey of development and national resurgence. We believe in infusing a new energy and vitality into this lasting relationship between India and its diaspora," she said.
She said that the Modi government "has only one mission: to re-make India into a great nation, a mission in which every Indian and equally every overseas Indian has a vital stake. It will be a perfect fit, a confluence of dreams and interests, and I have no doubt that with such interlinking and intermeshing, both India and the adopted countries of overseas Indians will benefit enormously".
Vivo Y16 4G made a bang entry, great design and great features will blow your senses
Vivo Y16 4G Launch: Vivo has launched its latest budget smartphone Vivo Y16 4G in the Indian market. In this smartphone, customers are being given a strong processor along with a 5000 mAh battery. Not
Mukhtar Ansari: The judge said- If the elder brother had fulfilled his duty, the younger one would not have become a mafia, the story of Munshi Premchand...
While sentencing Mafia Mukhtar Ansari and his elder brother MP Afzal Ansari after being found guilty under the Gangster Act, the MP-MLA court judge referred to the story of Katha Samrat Munshi
Mukesh Ambani, India's richest to poorest unite to thank Corona Warriors on Janata Curfew
भारत ने रविवार शाम 5 बजे एक वास्तविक परिदृश्य देखा, देश के कोरोनोवायरस
PM Modi is talking to the country's leading doctors on Covid-19, video conferencing with 6 companies at 6 o'clock
The national capital Delhi has been locked up till Monday morning amid the terrible situation created due to Covid-19 in the country, on the other hand, strict restrictions have been imposed in many
Raju Punjabi Death: Haryanvi singer Raju Punjabi passed away, gave many blockbuster songs with Sapna Chaudhary
Raju Punjabi Death: Haryana's famous singer Raju Punjabi breathed his last at the age of 40. The sudden demise of Raju Punjabi, known for his songs Desi Desi Na Bolya Kar, Solid Body, and Tu Cheez
Russia-Ukraine War Updates: the US to give military aid of Rs 6,000 crore to Ukraine; Russia bans 398 US lawmakers
50 days have passed since the Ukrainian war. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has approved military aid of $ 800 million (about Rs 6,089 crore) for Ukraine. This aid being given to deal with the
Court lifts ban on Manjhi regime taking policy decisions
Pat Feb 18 (IANS) In a relief to Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, the Patna High Court Wednesday lifted the restraint on taking any policy decisions - imposed two days ago - but said their
Corona In Gurugram - Corona's havoc a record 3553 positives in one day, 10 Died
Gurugram The number of corona-infected patients in the district has been steadily increasing. On Thursday, 3553 people have been infected and 10 people have died. So far in Gurugram, this record is
Saradha scam: Bengal Minister's Judicial Custody Extended
Kolkata, Jan 16 (IANS) Rejecting his bail plea yet again, a court here Friday extended till Jan 30 the judicial custody of West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra, arrested in connection with
Lock Upp: This contestant of 'Lock Up' has eaten the air of jail, was punished with 85 whipping
Recently, Mandana Karimi, who became a part of Kangana Ranaut's show 'Lock Up', has shared a very bad experience. Which happened to him in Iran. Mandana told that once the police had arrested him and