PM inaugurates 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Sammelan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on Thursday.  On the occasion,  he inaugurated the Dandi Kutir museum, which is exhibiting various stages of Mahatma Gandhi's life and work.

Speaking at the 13th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj called the Indian diaspora an asset for the country and urged it to participate in the country's growth story.

Swaraj said her government will extend all possible support to the diaspora to invest in India.

Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel asked the NRIs to make India proud by spreading its culture, tradition and values in their country of residence.

Swaraj also met the President of Republic of Guyana Donald R Ramotar, who is the chief guest for the meet of overseas Indians. India plans to build a monument in Guyana dedicated to the arrival of Indian indentured labourers in the country.

Ramotar gifted Swaraj a coin commemorating the 1838 arrival of Indian indentured labour in the South American country.

After inaugurating the meet, Swaraj also held discussions with her South African counterpart Maite Nkoana Mashabane.

India has been holding PBD for 12 years now to coincide with the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi back to India from South Africa in order to acknowledge the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the development of the country.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Gandhi as a young barrister, prior to spearheading the Independence movement.