Bhubaneswar: Marking the beginning of preparations for the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the state govt on Monday conducted a ‘bhoomi pujan’ (groundbreaking ceremony) at Janata Maidan, the primary venue of the three-day-long international event next month. Around 10,000 international delegates are expected to attend the event, which will be held from January 8-10.
The bhoomi pujan was organised by Industrial Promotion & Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited (IPICOL) and the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO). Hemant Sharma, principal secretary of the industry department, while attending the ceremony, said, “All efforts are being put in to showcase India and Odisha, in particular, in a grand way before the delegates at the event. This mega event will showcase Odisha’s rich cultural heritage to the global audience and is particularly aimed at engaging youth diaspora to contribute towards creating greater value for India.”
Based on the theme ‘Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat’, the event will be a celebration of the global Indian community’s role in nation-building and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a govt statement read.
The statement added that a dedicated youth edition, organised in partnership with the ministry of youth Affairs and sports, will foster engagement with young leaders of the diaspora. “President Droupadi Murmu will grace the valedictory session, where she will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards to outstanding members of the Indian diaspora,” the statement read.
Bhupendra Singh Poonia, managing director of IPICOL and IDCO, said that collaborative efforts of various departments are needed to ensure success of the event. “The govt is working diligently to make this event a grand success. With participants joining from across the globe, special provisions for accommodations, smooth mobility and traffic management are in place. This event will mark a milestone in Odisha’s success story,” Poonia added.
On Sunday, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, which has started parallel events to make the event a grand success, organised a musical night programme, titled ‘Bhubaneswar Vibes’. “Talented musicians have been roped in for the programme. On Sunday, we organised the programme at two locations. This will be organised next Sunday as well,” city mayor Sulochana Das said.