Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), also known as Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Day is a celebratory day observed on January 9 every year. The day marks the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India. This year, India will celebrate the 17th PBD Convention which will be held from 8 – 10 January 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The Convention will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi. The theme of the 17th PBD is ‘Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India's Progress in Amrit Kaal’. January 2023 Holidays Calendar With Major Indian Festivals & Events: Check List of Important Dates During the First Month of the Year.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas also has special significance in the history of India as it commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai on January 9, 1915. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has been commemorated every year since 2003. On this day, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards are given. During Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023, a total of 30 eminent diaspora members will be honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards during the 17th PBD Convention.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas History

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was established in 2003 by the Government of India. The decision to celebrate the day was taken in accordance with recommendations of the High-Level Committee (HLC) on the Indian Diaspora set up by the government of India under the chairmanship of L M Singhvi.  Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister of India, received the report of the Committee at a public function at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on January 8, 2002, and announced the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ will be commemorated on January 9. The day was chosen to mark the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915.

The first Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention was organised on January 9, 2003, to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India. The event is sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs of the GoI and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industries and the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region. This celebratory event is held from the 7th to the 9th of January every other year in a selected city in India: a forum for issues concerning the Indian Diaspora is organised.

In 2006, the concept of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) was launched during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention at Hyderabad on January 9. Under a revised format since 2015, the PBD Convention has been organized once every 2 years. In all, 16 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conventions have been organised till now. The 16th PBD was conducted in a virtual setting with the theme ‘Contributing to Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in 2021 during the pandemic.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Significance

The celebration of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has great significance in the history of India. The commemoration of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a unique opportunity for Pravasis from the State to reconnect with their roots. It is a perfect opportunity to remember the contributions made by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to the welfare and development of the nation. The PBD Convention 2023 will include five plenary sessions on various themes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 08, 2023 10:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).