PM lauds diaspora's contribution

PM said the contributions of the Diaspora were indeed noteworthy.

The 20-million-strong Indian Diaspora spread across 110 countries received lavish praise from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday on the occasion of the country's 59th Independence Day.

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Manmohan Singh, who was lauded for setting up independent India's first Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to exclusively deal with issues and the concerns of its Diaspora, said their contributions were indeed noteworthy.

"I would like to emphasize that the contribution of Indians and persons of Indian origin settled abroad in ensuing that our efforts are successful is enormous," the Prime Minister said.

"They have not only travelled to far off lands to achieve their dreams of prosperity for themselves and their children but have also played a stellar role in changing the world's perception of India," he said.

According to him, the world, today, saw India as a major knowledge power whose people are skilled, competent, hardworking and peace loving. These included its scientists, doctors, engineers and scholars.

"We are proud of all of them," he said of the Diaspora whose members he often describes as unofficial ambassadors of India.

The Prime Minister also actively participated at the country's third Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to connect with its vast Diaspora in Mumbai in January this year where he announced a major change in the dual citizenship scheme.

He is also scheduled to inaugurate the fourth edition of this event in Hyderabad in January 2006.