Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has been celebrated for some 6 years now and it has been successful to link overseas Indians to India and sought to integrating them into India's development. The 7th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held from 7th - 9th January 2009. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas provides a platform for overseas Indians to help bond with India.

THE VENUE for India’s next and seventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) was Chennai Trade Centre.

NRI Institute Celebrates Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2009

NRI Institute celebrated the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, 09. The two-day event started with a grand reception hosted by the British High Commissioner to India Sir Richard Stagg for the delegates of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas on 9th January. The theme for Pravasi Divas this year was "NRIs be Partners in India's Progress". The event was inaugurated by Dr Justice A R Lakshmanan (Chairman Law Commission of India) on 10th January. Leading NRIs participated and exchanged their views on the theme including Udai Patel (International Chairman, NRI Institute), Baroness Sandeep Verma (UK), Dr. Shan Nair (USA), Akram Sheikh (UAE), Blair Gulland (UK), Vinod Juneja (Managing Director, Binani Cements), Anil Sharma (CMD, Amrapali Group), Joginder Singh (Ex-Director, CBI), DR S.K. Pachauri (Chairman, NRI Institute) and Jagmohan Singh (Secretary General, NRI Institute).

The NRIs showed optimism on importance of India in the global arena. However, they also expressed concern that India has to be more assertive to fight the forces of terror. The Government should work proactively to promote investment from NRIs.

The event organized a special felicitation function in the honour of Mr Ylias Akbaraly for being conferred the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman, 2009 by the President of India at Chennai. Here, Jagmohan Singh proudly mentioned that out of 11 recipient of Pravasi Bhartiya Samman, 5 have been felicitated by NRI Institute before.

The delegates were invited by Smt. Shiela Dikshit (Chief Minister, Delhi) at her residence to discuss over pertinent issues concerning the country and the Diaspora.

The evening marked the grand Award function, where more than 30 NRIs were honoured for their rare contribution and for their efforts to strengthen the ties between the Diaspora with the motherland, India. The British High Commissioner to India His Excellency Sir Richard Stagg conferred the awards. The much-awaited annual event came to a befitting end with the song rendition of UK-based legendary singer Tarlochan Singh Bilga and electrifying performance of Dhol King Gurcharan Mall.

The recipients of Bharat Samman Pravasi Awards 2008 are Vikas Rambal (Australia), Dr Ajit K Nagpal (USA), Akram M Shaikh (Dubai (UAE), H.E Choonee Mookhesswur (Mauritius), Dr Darsanesing (Reunion Island), Direk Boonchanasukit (Thailand), Damodar Lal Shewakramani (Dubai, UAE), Gurcharan Mall (UK), H.E Nimisha J Madhvani (Uganda), Hiro Mulani (Dubai, UAE), M R Pujar (India), Dr Prasad Srinivasan (USA), R Vejey Prakhas (India), Rajnikante Zagjivan (Reunion Island), Resham Singh Sandhu (USA), Sanjay Audavdjee (Reunion Island), Sanjeev Gupta (India), Sanjeev K Sharma (Dubai, UAE), Satish Maripuri (USA), Dr Shan Nair (USA), Sumit Kumar (Netherlands), Surjit Babra (Canada) and Yatindra Nath Varma (Mauritius). Apart from hese Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to Lord Khalid Hameed (UK), Baroness Sandip Verma (UK), Dr Suri Sehgal (UK) and Akbaraly Sermamod Madagascar).

Earlier on 9th January, The British High Commissioner to India Sir Richard Stagg hosted a reception and dinner in the honour of the NRI Institute Delegates of Parvasi Divas 2009. The grand occasion marked the close ties between the British High Commission and the NRI Institute, where more than 200 NRIs from different parts of the world including Lord Khaleed Hameed, Baroness Sandeep Verma, H.E Nimisha J. Madhwani High Commissioner of Uganda to India, Dr. S.Y. Qureshi, Tarlochan Singh, Blair Gullands, Shovana Narayan, G.V.G. Krishnamurthy, Joginder Singh, Alka Raghuvanshi, Jagmohan Singh, his wife Sharanjit Kaur & Ravinder Kalsi were present. The guests were courteously received by The High Commissioner and Lady Arabella Richard Stagg. During the program Odissi Dancer Kavita Dwivedi enthralled the guests with her splendid performance.

NRI Institute is a voluntary registered body of Indians and Non-Resident Indians founded in the year 1989, aiming to provide a platform for the Indians living in India and abroad. Since its inception, the NRI Institute is dedicated in strengthening Indo-British ties by organising seminars and conferences in the UK and India.

Jagmohan Singh (Secretary General, NRI Institute) said, for the last 12 years, various British High Commissioners to India have graciously maintained the special bond by extending warm reception to the delegates. This year marked the 20th Anniversary of the NRI Institute.

Gurcharan Mall	Jagmohan Singh, H.E. Nimisha J. Madhvani, H.E. Sir Richard Stagg
Kavita Dwivedi	Nimisha J. Madhwani, Lady Arabella Richard Stagg