Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or Non-Resident Indian Day is commemorated on the 9th of January every year to recognise and honor the contribution of the overseas Indians or the Indian community abroad for the development of India. This year, India will be celebrating the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2022 or NRI Day with COVID protocols in place.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2022 will be held virtually in view of a rapid increase in the COVID 19 cases across the country. Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan will be addressing the PBD Conference centered on the role of the Indian diaspora in the area of innovation and new technology.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed once every two years to strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the Government of India and reconnect them with their roots.

Let’s look at the History, significance, and facts about the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to help students and people know and understand the valuable contributions of overseas Indians towards India’s development.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas History

The idea to commemorate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or Non-Resident Indian Day was mooted in 2000 sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.

In the wake of these developments, a decision to observe Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was taken based on the recommendations of a High-Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora set up by the Indian government with L. M. Singhvi as its chairman and was flagged off by the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a public event held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on 9 January 2002 based on the committee’s report received on 8 January 2002. With this, the tradition of PBD conferences began in 2003.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or NRI Day has been commemorated every year since 2003 and is marked by special events and programmes to recognise and honor the contributions of NRIs.PIOs of exceptional merit with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman or NRI.PIO Award in addition to providing a forum to discuss issues and concerns of the Indian diaspora. or of the overseas Indian community.

The overseas citizen of India (OCI) concept was launched during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention held at Hyderabad on 9 January in 2006.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Significance

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas significance is in conjunction with the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa on January 9, 1915, making him the greatest Pravasi having a lasting impact on India and its people through his struggles and campaigns in India’s road to freedom from the British colonialism. Gandhi inspired Indians through his principles of Satyagraha and Ahimsa (Non-violence) in India’s freedom struggle culminating in Independence on August 15, 1947 and laid emphasis on the concept of Panchayat Raj System or local self-government which is in place today.

Gandhi’s return to India adds significance to January 9 as the day to recognise and honor overseas Indians who have made significant contributions in the better understanding of India abroad, support India’s causes and concerns in a tangible way, community work abroad, the welfare of local Indian community, philanthropic and charitable work, etc.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2022 Objectives

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or Non-Resident Indian Day has certain objectives:

To connect with the Indian Diaspora and the overseas Indian community as large

To provide an open forum for NRIs to express their concerns, vision, and perceptions about India

Create an overseas Indians network across the world to connect with the younger generation

To resolve the issues faced by the overseas Indian laborers on hearing them out
To award and honor the NRIs, Person of Indian Origin or PIOs, any Organization or institution established and run by NRIs or PIOs making a deep and significant contribution towards India as a nation-building exercise overseas.

These are the takeaways on Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2022 for students to pen a Pravasi Bharatiya Divas essay and for people in general to cherish the NRI Day recalling its history and significance in shaping India’s development and image overseas.