The Indian diaspora are brand ambassadors; they have a bigger role to play this year as India gears up to host the G20 Summit, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Sammelan.
The Prime Minister was at the three-day convention in Indore in presence of the special guest of Honour, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Dr. S Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Mangubhai C Patel, Governor of Madhya Pradesh.
He urged the Indians across the globe to see the G20 summit as a huge opportunity to showcase our strength by making this an event of public contribution and not a diplomatic one. We can make them learn our way to sustainable development and showcase the ancient sentiments of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, meaning that the whole world is a one family, Modi said.
There will be almost 200 delegations from the G20 summit that will visit different parts of India. The PM suggested the Indian diaspora to call them or invite them and know their experiences when they go back to their respective countries after attending the summit. “When you will share their experiences with us, it will help us to strengthen India’s relation with them,” Modi said as he released the commemorative postal stamp ‘Surakshit Jaayen, Prashikshit Jaayen (Go Safe, Go Trained)’.
He credited the Indian diaspora for making India an important part of global civilization by developing business relations, promoting culture and exploring different opportunities, and said that the world is very curious to know the speed and scale of India.
As India makes it to the world's five biggest economies, third largest startup ecosystem in the world, and one of the most advanced countries in space technology, the world is curious to find more about it. ‘India will achieve a greater growth rate in the coming days. It will make people more curious to know about India”, the Prime Minister maintained adding Indian diaspora should know about the facts and updated growth of India besides its history and cultural heritage. The Prime Minister remarked that the young diaspora who were born and brought up in other nations, but have their roots here to know India.
Modi also requested the Indian universities to document Indian diaspora’s details, memories, archives and achievements to strengthen their bond with their roots and keep them connected. While emphasizing skill development, he stressed that India has a chance to become the knowledge and skill capital of the world and that Indian youth is recognized worldwide for their honesty, values and passion for work. “India as a skill capital can become an engine for world developments,” he said.
