Presidents of Guyana, Suriname arrive in India for 17th PBD

NEW DELHI: The presidents of Guyana and Suriname arrived in India to attend the 17th Pravasi Divas convention beginning in Indore on Sunday. Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who is on a seven-day visit to the country, is the chief guest at India's biggest diaspora conclave and also a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award.

Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi was received by Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, Water Resources Minister Tulsi Silawat and other officials upon his arrival in Indore.

Santokhi is the special guest of honour at the Diaspora convention.

Both the leaders are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi where they will be discussing migration, mobily, food processing and energy.

The two leaders will also be meeting External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and depart from India on January 14.

The three-day convention comes at a time when India enters the period of 'Amrit Kaal' -- charting the next 25 years of vision for the country.

Over 3,500 diaspora members from nearly 70 different countries have registered for the PBD Convention.

The 17th PBD will kick off with the inauguration of the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which will be held in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Zaneta Mascarenhas, Member of Parliament of Australia, will attend the event as the Guest of Honour.

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the convention on January 9.

The 2023 event is significant as it is being held physically after a gap of four years.

The last PBD meet was held virtually in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.