Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Overseas Indian Day Celebrated in Maldives - Miadhu News, 10 January 2016
High Commission of India organised the 14thPravasi Bharatiya Divas (Overseas Indian Day) celebrations in Maldives on January 9, the first time such a celebration is organised in Maldives.
The new High Commissioner-designate of India to Maldives Mr. Akhilesh Mishra presided over the celebrations in which several Indians, including doctors, teachers and other professionals working In Maldives, participated. He spoke about the important role played by Indian diaspora in Maldives in strengthening the bilateral relationship between the countries.
Mr. Mishra, who arrived in Male a couple of days ago, admired the pristine natural beauty of Maldives and expressed deep gratitude for the kindness, warmth and generous hospitality of the Maldivian people.
A cheque of MVR 25,000 was donated to India Club Maldives, an NGO working for the betterment of the Indian Community in Maldives. The celebrations concluded with a brief cultural program by the Indian Cultural Centre in Male.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated in India on 9 January each year to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India. The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa in Bombay on 9 January 1915. Established in 2003, it is organized by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs of the Government of India along with several other organizations. A celebratory event is held on January 7–9 each year in an Indian city: a forum for issues concerning the Indian Diaspora is organised and the PravasiBharatiyaSamman Awards are given. This year celebrations were also held for the first timein several countries across the globe as well.
