MoS Muraleedharan inaugurates website for 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2021

New Delhi [India], December 8 (ANI): V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs Tuesday inaugurated the website for the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2021, marking the commencement of online registration for participation in the convention.
The theme of PBD 2021 is "Contributing to Aatmanirbhar Bharat".
In view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the 16th PBD Convention, 2021 was held in a virtual format.
"Pravasi Bharatiya Divas marks the day to celebrate the contribution of the overseas Indian community into the development of India. January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion. On this day 1915, Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi return to India from South Africa and let the freedom struggle of India and change the lives of Indians forever," Muraleedharan said during the virtual meeting.
This year, 2020 has brought some of the unseen challenges humankind in form of the coronavirus pandemic, he added.
The five conferences will be held in December which will be held virtually based on five themes i.e,
(i) "Role of Diaspora in Promotion of Indian Culture" on 09 December 2020 from 12:00 -14:00 IST and 19:30-21:30 IST
(ii) "Dialogue with Diaspora Business Leaders & CEOs, Targeting USD 5 Trillion Aatmanirbhar Bharat Economy by boosting MSMEs" on 10 December 2020 from 17:30 -19:30 IST
(iii) "Regional PBD, GCC- India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conference" on 11 December 2020 from 11:30 -13:30 IST and 15:30-17:30 IST
(iv) "Forging Media & Entertainment Partnership to showcase India @75" on 21 December 2020 at 16:00 - 18:00 IST
(v) Youth PBD Conference on "Bringing together India's Young Achievers & Diaspora Young Achievers from different walks of life" on 08 January 2021 in collaboration with Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

"16thPravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention 2021 will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 9, 2021, The winners of Bharat ko Janiye Quiz will also be announced in the Inaugural Session," Muraleedharan said.
According to the official statement, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is the flagship event of the Government of India and provides an important platform to engage and connect with the overseas Diaspora.
The PBD Convention will include two Plenary Sessions "Role of Diaspora in Aatmanirbhar Bharat", and "Facing Post Covid Challenges - Scenario in Health, Economy, Social and International Relations," the statement said.
"Glad to inaugurate the website of 16th #PravasiBhartiyaDivas. We warmly invite every member of the 31 million-strong overseas Indians and look forward to meaningfully engage them through #PBD2021," Muraleedharan wrote on Twitter.
"Due to #COVID19, #PBD2021 will be held in a virtual format with the participants joining the convention online. The theme of the #PBD2021 will be 'Contributing to #AatmanirbharBharat, in line with PM @narendramodi ji's vision of a self-reliant India," his subsequent tweet read.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated once every two years to strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the Government of India and reconnect them with their roots. (ANI)