Highlights of 7th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

September 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The third regional Mini-Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which was held in Hague to bring together members of the Indian Diaspora in Europe at a common platform to discuss their role in enhancing Indo-European cooperation in the fields of culture, heritage and tradition came to an end today. The event was held in partnership with the municipality of the Hague and with the active support of Indo-Dutch organizations in the Netherlands.

July 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The next mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention titled "PBD Europe" will be organized at the historic World Forum in The Hague on September 19. It is being organized in partnership with the Municipality of The Hague and the Embassy of India at The Hague.

January 9th, 2009 CHENNAI - Sikh men with turbans can be seen driving around in Indian tractors on farms in the West African state of Chad, says Ravi Kumar, the honorary Consul-General for India in the country. Kumar was reacting Friday to a call from the audience during a discussion on Africa at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas meet for India to consider sending farmers to Africa to share their skills.

January 9th, 2009 CHENNAI - Mauritius will join South Africa in calling for India to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. That was the firm view of the Mauritian President of the Global Organisation for People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Mahendra Utchanah.

January 8th, 2009 CHENNAI - President Pratibha Patil has called for restructuring the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on a broad basis as, she said, the global economy is integrated. 'We need to have a more participative and inclusive financial architecture for the management of the global economy that can be more responsive in preventing the recurrence of such economic crises in future,' Patil said at the valedictory session of the seventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here Friday.

January 7th, 2009 CHENNAI - Heavy security at the seventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attack need not mean tension as a light-hearted exchange here revelaed. At the security check-point at the Chennai Trade Centre, the venue of the diaspora meet, a mediaperson told the policeman on duty to check him thoroughly since Sivarasan - the mastermind behind former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination - came to Sriperumbudur in the guise of a reporter.

January 7th, 2009 CHENNAI - Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has had a heated exchange of arguments with Hindi film superstar Shah Rukh Khan over 'on-screen smoking'. But the politician considers him numero uno all the same.

January 7th, 2009 CHENNAI - The overseas Indian affairs ministry may have to wait some years before seeing surplus from its prestigious annual event, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). According to a ministry official, the event costs around Rs.60 million (Rs.6 crore or $1,235,000) to host.

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'.

January 6th, 2009 CHENNAI - Security has been tightened here amid reports of a threat to top leaders attending the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the annual diaspora meet organised by the government from Wednesday. 'Though most threats are hoaxes, we take all information seriously.

January 6th, 2009 CHENNAI - What better time to hardsell tourism packages than the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas? The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corp (TTDC) is offering two tour packages for participants at the seventh edition of the diaspora meet here. Targeting the 1,500-odd delegates arriving from over 40 countries, TTDC is offering one-day and two-day tour packages.

January 6th, 2009 CHENNAI - The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corp (TTDC) is offering two tour packages for participants at the seventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) - the annual convention of people of Indian origin. The three-day event that kickstarted Wednesday is being held for the first time here and will have around 1,500 delegates from over 40 countries.

December 31st, 2008 CHENNAI - Security has been tightened at all the venues for the forthcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas following threats from the Deccan Mujahideen to repeat the Mumbai-style terrorist attacks during the function, a senior police official said Thursday. 'The email bearing the threat was sent to Chief Minister M.

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 25th, 2008 NEW DELHI - Over 1,500 delegates will participate in the forthcoming annual jamboree of the people of Indian origin, to be held in Chennai in the first week of next year. Surinam Vice-President Ramdien Saredjoe will be the chief guest of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' (PBD) 2009 edition, which will be held Jan 7-9.