India’s inauguration of the first Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra Oct. 2, in New Delhi, for overseas Indians is being lauded by some non-resident Indians in the United States as a landmark step in India’s effort to engage the diaspora. The U.S. has one of the largest concentrations of Indians in the world.
The close to 3 million Indian-Americans can now feel they have a “home” in the capital of their ancestral land, as can future generations in this country, some Indian-Americans enthused.
Speaking at the inauguration in Delhi, Modi emphasized the wealth of talent that existed among Indians who had settled abroad over hundreds of years. India’s diaspora should be seen not just in terms of numbers but rather its strength – a “brain gain” rather than a “brain drain.” When the world is keen to engage India, the Indian diaspora can help overcome the “fear of the unknown” which is the biggest obstacle to development, he said.
Close to a hundred members of the Indian-American community witnessed the live telecast of the event in Delhi, at the Indian Consulate in New York City. It was telecast live to 65 consulates around the world.
Mahesh Bhagia, 41, a businessman from Edison, N.J., who attended the event told Desi Talk this was the first time any Prime Minister had built a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi and a place for welcoming non-resident Indians. “It encourages NRIs to go to India more and do more business there and is part of the opening up of the country,” Bhagia said. He expects the PBK to hold several conferences on issues concerning NRIs and India in the coming year, he said. “Over time, the Kendra is expected to develop into the hub of activities for sustainable, symbiotic and mutually rewarding economic, social and cultural engagement between India and its Diaspora,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said on its website.
“In more than 150 countries we’ve the presence of Pravasi Bhartiyas. They are a huge strength for our Missions,” Modi said after inaugurating the complex.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, a state-of-the-art complex in south Delhi’s diplomatic enclave, Chanakyapuri, has a library, a research centre, meeting rooms, a cultural centre, business centres, a restaurant, an auditorium that can seat 500 people, and 24 guest rooms.
“This PBK is like any other Bhavan in Delhi – except this is for us, for NRIs,” Dr. Sudhir Parikh, publisher of Desi Talk and recipient of India’s Padma Shri award, said. He was among those who witnessed the event live at the Indian Consulate in New York along with India’s Consul General Riva Ganguly Das.
“Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra shows what it means to be an Indian, the meaning of association with India,” Modi said. “It is home to 27 million PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) and NRIs (Non Resident Indians). It can act as a focal point for even those Pravasis who are still searching for their roots in India,” said Modi.
Modi praised his party’s leadership for connecting with diaspora in a meaningful way from the time of former Bharatiya Janata Party Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who initiated the concept of the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
“This project has been in the works for 25 years, and was stalled in the middle, and has now been picked up by the Prime Minister,” Dr. Parikh said.
With that “huge” museum on Gandhi which includes interactive displays, Parikh said, “It is a very good place for the new and younger generation of NRIs and PIOs – some in the 6th generation, to know more about the history of Gandhiji and India.”
Modi visited the exhibition on “Gandhi – Ek Pravasi,” during the event, launched a booklet on Yoga Protocol for Diabetes Control, and distributed prizes to winners of the ‘Know India’ Quiz.
“Finally, the Indian government is thinking about giving importance to NRIs and the value they brought to the country for so many years,” Anand Patel, president of the Federation of Indian Association in the tri-state area, told Desi Talk. An institution like PBK would help even those away for several generations from India, to renew their connection. “Someone from Fiji, or Guyana could come and stay at the Kendra and get help to trace their ancestry from the library. It’s a great message to them,” Patel said. “And the Kendra’s goal to help India for development – time will tell how that goes,” he added.
In her speech after the inauguration, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, “This is no ordinary building. This is a memorial for our forefathers who went abroad. This is remembrance for them, it’s a proof of our tradition,” Indo Asian News Service reported. The Kendra she said represented the beauty, diversity, and modernity of India. “There are many facilities in this centre for the Pravasis. They can stay in this building as well. It incorporates art and culture of every state of India,” Swaraj added.
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