New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) From Jan 7-9, the next annual jamboree of overseas Indians - Pravasi Bharatiya Divas - is expected to see nearly 1,500 delegates, 14 chief ministers and seven ministers in foreign governments who are of Indian origin.
With a number of new features, it will be formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Jan 8, while President Pratibha Patil will deliver the valedictory address and distribute the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards Jan 9.

“We already have over 520 people from 40 countries registered with us. But we expect the number of delegates to cross over a thousand, with the final number to be nearer 1,500,” Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi told reporters at a press conference here.

PBD will also see participation from seven foreign ministers of Indian origin.

A day before the formal inauguration, important pre-conference seminars will be held on nanotechnology and property-related matters of overseas Indians.

The Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council will also meet at his 7, Race Course Road residence on the evening of Jan 7. The council has 20 eminent people of Indian origin, including Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, economist Jagdish Bhagwati, industrialist L.N. Mittal and Pepsico chairman Indra Nooyi.

A new feature to be introduced at PBD 2010 is an annual lecture series by a prominent overseas Indian. It will be launched by Bhagwati, who will deliver a talk Jan 8 on “India: the role of Diaspora”.

For the first time, PBD will be webcast live on the ministry’s website (www.moia.gov.in), as well as the website of the official e-magazine, Pravasi Bharatiya (www.overseasindian.in).

There will be plenary sessions where delegates from across the world will be able to interact with cabinet ministers. Around 14 chief ministers will also be participating in PBD to woo investment from overseas Indians for their states.

“An important concurrent session will be for the knowledge network of scientists worldwide,” said Ravi.

He acknowledged that overseas Indians had raised a lot of issues related to properties they had invested in. The minister said there had been an improvement in the resolution of such issues, after each state government had put a focal person in charge of such matters.

On the proposed PIO University, Ravi said there had been a delay. He said a lot of coordination with institutions and ministries was required for allowing an educational institution to reserve more seats for foreign students of Indian origin.

He hoped there could be legislation which would smoothen its launch as it required a change of rules in different ministries.