- Wednesday, March 05, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the chief minister of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh which played host to the 17th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non-resident Indian Day) convention this year, made an emotional appeal while addressing the event’s valedictory session saying his heart felt heavy as the time for the departure of the non-resident Indian guests and others came nearer.
In Hindi, he even urged them to stay back permanently.
The city of Indore hosted the three-day event in which a number of achievers were honoured.
#WATCH | "Indore prepared to host the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention as one prepares for a daughter's wedding. Now at the time of your departure the heart feels heavy…aree yahin reh jao na," says Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Indore pic.twitter.com/hF9l5dbwTt
— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2023
“Indore prepared to host the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention as one prepares for a daughter’s wedding. Now at the time of your departure, the heart feels heavy…aree yahin reh jao na (why don’t you start living here),” Chouhan said.
Indian president Droupadi Murmu also addressed the valedictory session of the convention and later met her counterparts from Suriname and Guyana and discussed with them ways to strengthen ties and expand cooperation between the south Asian nation and the two countries in various fields.
Surinamese president Chandrikapersad Santokhi was a special guest of honour at the mega conclave of the overseas Indians and addressed the event on Monday (9).
President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, was the chief guest at the mega event of overseas Indians. He was also among the 27 recipients of the honour at the convention.
“Our diaspora brothers and sisters will always have a special place in our hearts, not only as extended family members but as responsible stakeholders in India’s development,” the Indian president said in her speech.
A number of top ministers of the Narendra Modi government such as Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Dharmendra Pradhan, Nirmala Sitharaman, Jyotiraditya Scindia also took part in the PBD programmes.
Modi inaugurated the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention on Monday (9). He called Pravasi Bharatiyas as the “brand ambassadors” of India on foreign soil and said they have a significant place in the journey of the country as it enters the ‘Amrit Kaal’ of the next 25 years.
He also lavished praise on Indore’s varied delicacies and food culture in a poetic style while addressing convention.
The prime minister said Indore is not only the cleanliness capital of India but it is also the capital of “swaad” (taste).
More than 3,000 non-resident Indians from 70 countries are taking part in the three-day event which started on Sunday (8).
