Manmohan to inaugurate Diaspora meet

Prime Minister will inaugurate the third edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Mumbai from Jan 7-9.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the third edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, India's annual conclave to connect with its vast Diaspora across the globe, in Mumbai from January 7-9.

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"This is the first time the event is being organised outside the Capital to expose the Indian Diaspora to different regions of India," Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs Jagdish Tytler told a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday.

The highlights of the three-day event include plenary sessions with Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram and several chief ministers.

People of Indian origin and non-resident Indians from around 70 countries are expected to come in large delegations to the event, which will also honour some prominent members of the overseas Indian community, Tytler said.

"It will be absolutely business-like. It will not be a tamasha (jamboree)," he said, adding that the government also intends to invite 50 outstanding students from overseas for the three-day event.

Last year's event had seen participation from 61 countries, including large contingents from the US, East Asian countries, the West Asia and Britain.