HIGHLIGHTS
- Indian passport holders may get voting rights by 2014
- Social security net for Indian workers returning home: PM
- Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
- PM invites Indian Diaspora to join eco development, politics
- NRI/PIO
- HISTORICAL BCKGROUND
The occasion is marked by special programs to recognize the contributions of NRI/PIO individuals of exceptional merit, felicitate NRI/PIO individuals who have made exceptional contribution in their chosen field/profession (Pravasi Bharatiya Samman) and provide a forum to discuss issues and concerns that people of the diaspora.
The event has been organized every year since 2003, and is sponsored by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and the FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry).
The 8th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas taking place 7-9 January of 2010.
A non-resident Indian (NRI)
A non-resident Indian (NRI) is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides outside India.
Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian.
In common usage, this often includes Indian-born individuals (and also people of other nations with Indian ancestry) who have taken the citizenship of other countries.
In the Americas, the term East Indian is often used to distinguish people who have originated from the Indian Subcontinent (including people from nations of the Indian subcontinent other than India) from those who are American Indians.
A Person of Indian Origin (PIO) is usually a person of Indian origin who is not a citizen of India. For the purposes of issuing a PIO Card, the Indian government considers anyone of Indian origin up to four generations removed to be a PIO.
Spouses of people entitled to a PIO card in their own right can also carry PIO cards.
This latter category includes foreign spouses of Indian nationals, regardless of ethnic origin.
PIO Cards exempt holders from many restrictions applying to foreign nationals, such as visa and work permit requirements, along with certain other economic limitations.
The NRI and PIO population across the world is estimated at over 30 million.
As of January 2006, The Indian government has introduced the "Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)" scheme in order to allow a limited form of dual citizenship to Indians, NRIs and PIOs for the first time since independence in 1947.
It is expected that the PIO Card scheme will be phased out in coming years in favour of OCI.
Origin Total population 24,000,000 +
Largest ethnic group | |
United Arab Emirates | |
Mauritius | 855,000 |
Guyana | 327,000 |
Suriname | 175,000 |
Major ethnic group | |
Nepal | 4,000,000 |
Malaysia | 2,100,000 |
Myanmar | 2,000,000 |
Saudi Arabia | 1,500,000 |
Kuwait | 580,000 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 525,000 |
Singapore | 400,000 |
Fiji | 340,000 |
Minor ethnic group | |
United States | 2,765,815 |
United Kingdom | 1,200,000 |
South Africa | 1,160,000 |
Canada | 962,665 |
Oman | 450,000 |
France (2/3 in Réunion) | |
Bahrain | 310,000 |
Australia | 235,000 |
Netherlands | 217,000 |
New Zealand | 105,000 |
Kenya | 100,000 |
Tanzania | 90,000 |
Uganda | 90,000 |
Jamaica | 90,000 |
Italy | 71,500 |
Development Foundation (IDF)
The India Development Foundation (IDF) for overseas Indians is a mechanism put in place to resolve problems they faced. And the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs will be more than willing to address any further irritants.
This was stated by Mr. Jaipal Reddy, Minister for Urban Development, Government of India at the session on “Thousands of Fireflies: Diaspora Philanthropy” at the Eighth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas today.
He further said that the umbilical cord tying the diaspora to India has to be maintained not only for contributions, but for those who may have left our shores but remain rooted here.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
President Pratibha Patil Saturday conferred the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award to 14 distinguished members of the Indian diaspora for their achievements in life and contribution to the welfare of the Indian community and enhancing India's image overseas.
Following are the brief profiles of this year's award recipients:
1. Mohinder Singh Bhullar a successful businessman in Brunei Darussalam, is instrumental in the formation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Brunei Darussalam. He has assisted the Indian community in that Southeast Asian nation and has acted as a bridge between India and Brunei Darussalam.
2. Yanktesh Piramal Reddy, an Indian origin businessman in Fiji, has promoted tourism to India in a big way from the entire south Pacific region. He has also worked relentlessly for the protection of the interests of the Indian community in Fiji.
3. Ryuko Hira, a successful Indian entrepreneur in Japan, is the director of the prestigious Japan-India Association. A leading philanthropist, he has supported several projects for the underprivileged in India. He has also sponsored and supported the translation and publication of the Mahabharata, Vedas, Upanishads and books on Hinduism, Busshism and Sikhism into Japanese.
4. Dr. Ruby Umesh Pawankar has focused on the furtherance of India-Japan medical collaboration for a number of years. Recognised in Japan and worldwide for her outstanding contributions to science, she is the first Indian and first woman to be nominated as president of World Allergy Organisation.
5. Suresh Kumar Virmani, a successful engineer, entrepreneur and businessman, is a founder member of the Indian Cultural Association in Oman. He has worked relentlessly for the welfare of the expatriate Indian community in Oman and has helped establish a number of Indian schools in Oman.
6. Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan, finance minister of South Africa, has distinguished himself as commissioner of the South African Revenue Service. He was a political activist who took active part in the anti-apartheid movement of that country, organising and leading student movements.
7. Tholisah Perumal Naidoo is a publisher, journalist and founder of the Indian Academy of South Africa in Durban. He has been promoting Indian culture in South Africa for the past 25 years organising regular events like the Tyagaraja Music Festival and Festival of India and introducing the Nataraja Golden Peacock Award for Indian classical dances there.
8. Rajni Kanabar is a philanthropist who initiated the Tanzania Heart Babies project wherein Tanzanian children suffering from congenital heart defects are sent to India for open heart surgeries. Over 1,300 surgeries were performed in the last 27 years with the support of the Indian High Commission in Tanzania, Air India and Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bangalore.
9. Deepak Mittal, an industrialist and financial expert, has successfully set up and operated many large state-of-the-art Indian joint ventures in Thailand. His efforts led to expanded trade between India and Thailand. He has also been involved in charity and social activities for the welfare of people in Thailand including the Indian community.
10. Lenny Krishendath Saith is minister in the Prime Minister's Office in Trinidad & Tobago. A strong advocate of bilateral ties between India and Trinidad & Tobago, he has consistently promoted the cause of the Indian diaspora in that Caribbean nation.
11. Dr. Azad Moopen is a physician turned entrepreneur who manages one of the largest healthcare networks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. His group conducts free health camps for Indian labourers in remote locations in the GCC countries. He has also worked for the welfare of the Indian community in the United Arab Emirates.
12. Mani Lal Bhaumik is a scientist, author, educator and philanthropist whose books and lectures at prestigious institutions has significantly contributed towards a better understanding of the cultural and spiritual heritage of India. He sponsors an annual award for Indian children in California who excel in science and mathematics and has worked for the welfare of the Indian community in the US.
13. Ashok Kumar Mago has worked actively for the promotion of Indo-US political and economic ties through his association with a variety of boards and commissions in the past. He is chairman of the Indo-American Political Forum in Dallas, which seeks to educate youngsters to participate in the political process.
"In fact, I would go a step further and ask why more overseas Indians should not return home to join politics and public life as they are increasingly doing in business and academia," he said.
Officials later said the voting rights could be extended to Indian passport holders and those having Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cards will not be eligible for it.
"We seek the active involvement of the overseas Indian communities in accelerating the pace of our economic and social development. In this context, it is important that we make efforts to connect the second generation of overseas Indians with their ancestral heritage and involve them actively in India's march forward," he said.
Lamenting that investments by Indian Diaspora in India were low, the Prime Minister asked them to take a "careful look" at the country of their origin which is one of the top investment destinations.
Social security net for Indian workers returning home: PM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the government was conscious about the adverse effect of economic crisis on Indians employed abroad and was working on a project to provide social security net for the workers returning home.
PM invites Indian Diaspora to join eco development, politics
Reaching out to the Indian Diaspora, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited them to "actively" participate in the country's economic development and join politics while hoping that they would get voting rights by the time of next general elections in 2014.
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