Diaspora meet may have to wait to break even

September 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) is organising the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-Europe (PBD-E), a regional diaspora event, at the Hague in the Netherlands Sep 19. The event, to be held at the World Forum, is to "celebrate the success of Indian diaspora and unite them for a better India".

September 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India has only now begun to tap its 25-million diaspora in 130 countries to boost its growth, unlike China that owes much of its economic miracle to the overseas Chinese, says a study released Friday. Indian companies have tapped into the Indian diaspora less well than the Chinese firms into the Chinese diaspora, says Tarun Khanna, professor at the Harvard Business School and a contributor to the study called The Global Indian Firm.

July 17th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala will ask the central government to change electoral laws to enable NRIs to vote, state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said in the state assembly Friday. The minister was responding to a query by Indian Union Muslim League leader P.K.

July 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - After the US and Asia, the next mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), a conclave of the Indian diaspora, will be held in September in the Netherlands, in Europe. The Hague in the Netherlands will be the venue for the third mini PBD Sep 19.

June 12th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Friday lashed out at the central government for only making announcements and not doing anything to help the diaspora and those who have returned from abroad.

June 5th, 2009 BRUSSELS - Welcoming the address of President Pratibha Patil to the Indian parliament, the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) in Belgium said the importance of the Indian diaspora must not be viewed only in static economic terms but as social and cultural ambassadors of India, EuAsiaNews reported Friday. President Patil in her address to the parliament said Thursday India would deepen its ties with its 25-million diaspora in 130 countries that has emerged as an important force in respective countries of domicile.

June 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India will deepen its ties with its 25-million diaspora in 130 countries that has emerged as an important force in respective countries of domicile, President Pratibha Patil said Thursday. Our ties and kinship with the diaspora make us acutely conscious of their well-being and to be sensitive to their concerns, the president said in an address to a joint session of the new parliament that convened after the national election last month.

May 18th, 2009 LONDON - A new democratically-minded and nonviolent group is needed to win the aspirations of Tamils in Sri Lanka following the defeat of the LTTE, a leading member of the Tamil diaspora in Britain said Monday. 'At the moment, there is mourning everywhere among the Diaspora, but once we have had time to mourn and hold our memorials, we should sit down and chalk out the way forward,' said Thaya Idaikkadar, Chairman of the British Tamil Councillors and Associates (BTCA).

January 30th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Migration Research Unit, affiliated to the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) here, will work with the Chandigarh-based Centre for Rural Research and Industrial Development (CRRID) to conduct the first-ever comprehensive study on international migration from Punjab. S. Irudayarajan, head of the the research unit which is funded by the Ministry for Overseas Indian Affairs, said that they will be providing the questionnaire for the survey and also provide the sampling design.

January 8th, 2009 CHENNAI - The following are some of the highlights of the seventh edition of the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas that concluded here Friday: - Nearly 1,500 delegates from 48 countries - Maximum number of 270 delegates from Malaysia followed by 127 from the US - Thirteen prominent Indians abroad presented the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman - The Global Indian Knowledge Network launched to create a virtual think tank by connecting the diaspora - Qualified professional holding overseas citizen of India card can soon practice in India - Smart card to be issued to all Indian workers immigrating from June 1 - Diaspora recognises that India's growth story remains positive and presents them opportunities for investing - Consensus for increased diaspora participation in health, education and rural development under public-private partnership - Chief ministers and senior cabinet members of six states outline opportunities during separate interactions with delegates

January 7th, 2009 CHENNAI - Qualified overseas Indian professionals, with Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards as well as others, can soon practise in India, it was announced here Thursday. The government will extend its new scheme permitting qualified professionals holding Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards to practise in India to other members of diaspora possessing similar qualification.

January 7th, 2009 CHENNAI - Activists of a Tamil nationalist group and a Hindu organisation Thursday organised separate demonstrations in this city, where the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) is underway, to draw attention to their cause. Organisers of both the protests said they were using the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas occasion 'to voice their hurt feelings and attract international attention'.

December 25th, 2008 NEW DELHI - The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs Friday warned against a diaspora meet being held under the aegis of an organisation called 'Pravasi Bharati' in Thiruvananthapuram in January and clarified that it was not affiliated to any government body. The organisation called Pravasi Bharati does not have any affiliation with the central government or the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, the office of the Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said here.

December 23rd, 2008 KOCHI - The two-day diaspora meet 'Ente Naadu', billed as a platform for the Kerala diaspora to invest in tourism projects in the state, concluded here Wednesday with an investment of over Rs.10 billion expected to take place in the coming years, a minister said. Over 500 non-resident Keralites (NRKs) from 42 countries took part in the two-day event.

December 22nd, 2008 KOCHI - The two day 'Ente Naadu', billed as a platform for the Kerala diaspora to invest in tourism projects in the state, has attracted a good response with more than 500 delegates from 42 countries attending the meet. The key objective of the two day meet is to open up exciting prospects for non resident Keralites (NRKs) through the 'Bring Home a Friend programme', which will make them brand ambassadors of Kerala.