How Indian diaspora can contribute to Viksit Bharat

This year, Odisha is hosting the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Over the years, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has enhanced not only the Indian diaspora's participation in the event but also their sense of community, pride, and purpose among millions of non-resident Indians (NRIs).

- Bharat Barai

Throughout the 1990s, PM Modi travelled to several countries as a young political leader. He visited the United States (US) on multiple occasions, particularly in 1993, to attend the 100th anniversary celebration of Swami Vivekananda's historic Chicago address. During this visit, he spoke at the Global Vision 2000 conference. Several Indian families recall hosting him during his visit to the US in 1997.

During these visits, his primary focus was twofold—engaging with the Indian community and learning from those nations that could benefit India's development. He always stayed with Indian families, and the bonds formed with them remained strong. He was also eager to connect with the younger generation, particularly the children of NRIs. During one such visit to Atlanta, he went to Georgia Tech to interact with Indian students.