Odisha’s folk dancers welcome guests for 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], January 7 (ANI): Locals performed the traditional folk dance, Ghumura, at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport to welcome guests for the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention on Tuesday.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is set to take place from 8th to 10th January 2025 in the city. This year, the theme of the event is “Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat.”

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

January 9, commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915. To mark this day, the tradition of celebrating the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas started in 2003. 1st PBD Convention was organised on 9 January 2003 to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.

Since 2015, under a revised format, the PBD Convention has been organised once every 2 years.

Dhauha Gaida, winner of the Know India Quiz in the Foreign National category from Korea, expressed her excitement about her first visit to India saying, “It’s actually my first time here in India but when I was young I watched a lot of Indian movies and also my sister studied here. India is so rich in culture – it’s amazing. My favourite Indian food is curry, for sure. Because I like spicy food, even in my country, we eat a lot of spicy food. You can feel the smell and the taste and the way how they eat with their hands, we also eat with our hands too.”

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 18th PBD Convention in Bhubaneswar on January 9 at 10 am. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in the city on Monday to attend the event.