Puri welcomes delegates for 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

PURI: Puri Superintendent of Police Vineet Agrawal shared his views on the preparations that are under way for the upcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). He emphasized the dedicated efforts being made to ensure seamless experiences for visitors at key tourist spots across the region.

Odisha, celebrated for its rich spiritual and cultural heritage, is all set to host the 18th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which promises to welcome a diverse gathering of delegates and dignitaries from around the globe.

Agrawal said, “It is a matter of pride for us that the programme of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is going to be organised in Odisha. All the delegates and dignitaries will visit Puri also. So all the arrangements have been made at the tourist places in Puri. The senior officers of the police are deployed at all the places”.

A historic day for Odisha as the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention gets underway. Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji will inaugurate the #PBD2025 tomorrow, 9th January. I welcome all Pravasi Bharatiyas, guests and international delegates to Odisha and wish them a pleasant stay… pic.twitter.com/ji8SjVeucx

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) January 8, 2025

Reflecting on the significance of the event, Malaysia’s Minister of Digital, Gobind Singh Deo, shared his perspective on PBD’s global impact. He said, “It is an important event to bring around groups of people who can contribute a lot to not just the diaspora here in India but around the world. I think the focus should be that we in Malaysia have followed this event for a while and have participated as well. I’m happy to be here and contribute”.

Deo further added, “We have events lined up for tomorrow and the day after PM Modi is coming. That’s an important event. I also have an opportunity to meet up with EAM Dr S Jaishankar. I’m happy to be here and I’m very thankful for the great hospitality… There’s so much history between the two countries. I think that was a starting point that has built up over the years and strengthened even more”.

District Magistrate (DM) Siddharth Shankar Swain emphasised the local preparations to create a memorable experience for the delegates. He said, “It is a very proud moment for us that the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held in Odisha and the delegates will also visit the Jagannath Temple, Sun Temple and other places. We hope the delegates will take back good memories with them after visiting Odisha.”

Notably, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention serves as a flagship initiative by the Government of India to connect with the Indian diaspora and foster interactions among its members. The 18th PBD Convention is being organised in collaboration with the Odisha State Government from January 8 to 10 in Bhubaneswar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event on Thursday with the theme, ‘The Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat’. More than 50 countries are represented, with a significant turnout of diaspora members registering for the convention. (ANI)