The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, PBD Convention 2025, will be held at Bhubaneswar in Odisha from the 8th of this month. The External Affairs Ministry said that the theme of this three-day convention is “The 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. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the PBD Convention on the 9th of this month. It will feature a virtual address by the Chief Guest, the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Carla Kangaloo.

Mr Modi will also remotely flag off the inaugural journey of the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train for the Indian diaspora, which will depart from the Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi and travel to multiple destinations of touristic and religious importance in India for a period of three weeks. The Pravasi Bharatiya Express will be conducted under the Pravasi Teertha Darshan Yojana of the Ministry of External Affairs.

President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the Valedictory Session of the 18th PBD Convention on 10th January. The President will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2025 upon select members of the Indian diaspora to recognise their achievements and to honour their contributions in various fields in India and abroad. The Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held on 8th January 2025, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The forthcoming convention is significant as it is being organised for the first time in the State of Odisha, amid its rich historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage.