Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], January 10 (ANI): President Droupadi Murmu on Friday arrived at Janta Maidan to attend the valedictory session and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award ceremony in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.
She was accompanied by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. 
The event marks a significant moment in honouring the contributions of the Indian diaspora.
The President’s Secretariat in an official press release had said, “On January 10, the President will grace the valedictory session of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention and present the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards at Bhubaneswar, Odisha.”
Meanwhile, Jaishankar in a post on X said, “Honored to receive President Droupadi Murmu today at the #PravasiBharatiyaDivas2025 Convention in Odisha.”
https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1877639911127298352
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is the flagship event of the Government of India that provides an important platform to connect and engage with the Indian diaspora and enable them to interact with each other. The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is being organized in partnership with the State Government of Odisha from January 8 to 10 in Bhubaneswar.
The theme of this PBD Convention is “Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat”. A large number of Indian diaspora members from over 50 different countries have registered to participate in the PBD Convention.
Earlier in the day, Ravi Kumar, CEO of Cognizant, emphasised the significance of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award and highlighted the achievements of the Indian diaspora, he described it as both a recognition of their accomplishments and a call to stay connected to their roots.
Kumar also underlined the important role the diaspora can play in India’s journey towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, creating a bridge between India and the world while contributing to the country’s economic and geopolitical growth.
Notably, Ravi Kumar will be awarded by President Murmu, along with 27 others.
While speaking with ANI, Kumar said, “The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, which is given by the Government of India to Non-Resident Indians is a big honour for Indians living abroad. This year, there are around 27 awardees and they come from a diverse set of fields — technology, business, art, culture and a variety of professions. It is a call for all the awardees to stay connected to the roots.”
He added, “Indians abroad have been very accomplished and have done significantly well. So, it’s a unique opportunity for Indians abroad to contribute to the growth story of India. In the last 10-15 years, India’s role on the global stage, both economically and geo-politically has been very strong. So Indians abroad can contribute significantly to the growth story in a diverse set of fields. That’s why, this is a very exciting opportunity for Indians who live abroad but have their roots in India.” (ANI)
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