Rapid Fire
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)
- 12 Jan 2026
- 3 min read
On the occasion of the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) on 9th January 2025, the Prime Minister extended warm greetings to the global Indian diaspora, highlighting its role as a vital bridge connecting India with the world.
- About: PBD is the flagship outreach programme of the Ministry of External Affairs, organised to engage the Indian diaspora and showcase India’s regional diversity and development.
- Since 2015, it has been conducted as a biennial, theme-based convention, enabling focused diaspora engagement, dialogue, and networking.
- Significance: It commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India in 1915 from South Africa, symbolising the historic role of the Indian diaspora in India’s freedom struggle and nation-building.
- Evolution: The PBD convention was instituted in 2003 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to institutionalise structured and sustained engagement with the Indian diaspora.
- Objectives: The convention seeks to recognise diaspora contributions to India’s development, enhance India’s image abroad, support national causes and overseas Indian welfare, and provide a platform for dialogue between the diaspora and the Government of India.
- PBD 2025: The 18th PBD Convention (2025) was held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Key highlights included the launch of the Pravasi Bharatiya Express under the Pravasi Teertha Darshan Yojana, an exhibition on Mandvi–Muscat migration, and renewed emphasis on the legacy of Girmitiyas, including a proposal for a comprehensive Girmitiya database.
- Honour: The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is the highest honour conferred on NRIs, OCIs, and diaspora organisations, recognising their outstanding contributions to India’s global image, national causes, and community welfare.
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