Women's leadership, diaspora contributions, and cultural connections shine at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], January 10 : The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) celebration in Bhubaneswar served as a platform to showcase women's leadership, entrepreneurial success stories, and the critical role of the Indian diaspora in fostering global connections.
The three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which began on January 8 concluded today in Bhubaneswar. The flagship event, organised by the Government of India in partnership with the Odisha government, focused on the theme 'Diaspora's Contribution to a Viksit Bharat.'
Over 50 countries were represented by members of the Indian diaspora, who shared insights on leadership, innovation, and cultural integration.
The event brought together leaders and dignitaries from around the world to share insights and experiences that underscored resilience, cultural integration, and innovative contributions to society.

Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of Urban and Housing Development, highlighted the transformative potential of systemic support for women leaders during a session on Nari Shakti.
"This session is about women's leadership. It has a component where the self-motivation, inspiration matters. The second layer is about the community, about the systems, about the institutions which can help women to come forward. So I'm sure that some of the countries who have the intention, they can bring such institutional mechanisms, systemic interventions due to which women can be incentivised to be in the public sector. The caretaking role will not change. Women have to be there, but at the same time, if there are support systems which can help women to come and spend some of the time in public life and lead the nation and being the very sensitive leaders, themselves being very sensitive, being the mother, being the head of the family, they will be able to contribute a lot," Padhee explained, emphasising the importance of enabling structures that promote female participation in public life.
Adding an international perspective, Prerna Bhardwaj, Mayor of Gerrards Cross in England, shared her admiration for the stories of Indian women who overcame significant challenges to succeed abroad.
"I found it really inspirational to listen to all the women stories of how they made it as entrepreneurs and how they went by themselves to different countries, often with their families, often with very little and they made it really big by working hard and being really dedicated... I think it's very inspirational. It does show that Indian women, no matter where we are, we are very resilient to change and we can make a difference to our society and also bring India to other countries," she said.
Bhardwaj also reflected on the cultural exchange and gender perspectives discussed at the event, sharing examples such as a Slovenian entrepreneur's sari shop and her daughter's Indian restaurant, and the inspiring story of a former Miss India making her mark in Qatar.

Bhardwaj also addressed misconceptions about women's safety in countries like India and Qatar, stating, "I've been to Qatar myself, and I had a fantastic time there - so it's good to know that even in the Middle East, there's a perception that it's unsafe for women, that women are sort of suppressed, but actually it's not like that in reality. I think that's the same for India - the Western world thinks that, you know, women aren't safe in India, that men aren't friendly towards women, but actually it's the other way around. The reality is very different."
Another highlight of the event was the recognition of Dr Subramanium K V Sathasivam from Malaysia, who received an award for his contributions to the Indian community in Malaysia and strengthening India-Malaysia relations.
Expressing his gratitude, he said, "I am thankful to the Indian government, and particularly to the High Commissioner of India in Malaysia for having nominated me, and considered my contributions to the Indian community in Malaysia, and to the relationship between India and Malaysia and recognising me in this very prestigious award. It is a moment of great pride for me, personally, for my family, and to all Malaysian-Indians in general."
Sathasivam emphasised the significance of PBD in uniting the Indian diaspora, which he estimated to comprise over 200 million people worldwide. He elaborated on the event's role in fostering cultural and emotional ties, providing a forum for discussions, and celebrating the collective identity of Indians abroad. "PBD forms a central theme around which people can come, get together, discuss issues, provide suggestions, and celebrate this collectiveness and cultural cohesion which is present amongst all the Indians who are living in different parts of the world. So in that sense of course, it's a kind of re-identification of ourselves and reconnecting ourselves with this great edition of ours, and taking great pride is that identity with which we are living throughout the world," he explained.

Sathasivam also pointed to the immense potential of the diaspora in contributing to India's developmental vision. "The diaspora is very wide, with a great deal of human resource and strength in terms of knowledge, skills, and also capital. I'm sure this Viksit Bharat vision - the opportunities which it will open should definitely attract members of the diaspora in different areas to come and participate in it, and to contribute towards its success. On the part of the Indian government, it must make it accessible and easy, and create platforms through which the global Indian diaspora can connect, so their richness can also contribute towards the success of Viksit Bharat," he stated.
Sathasivam commended the involvement of younger generations in the event. "Today, in this diaspora, there was a lot of youth who came. They were allowed to participate; they were recognised - they even took photographs with the Prime Minister yesterday. This is good because you're not only connecting the elder generation, but also the younger generation at a different level. They had a quiz contest in which many of them won, and then they had this 'New India Programme' - these are all new ideas. You need to create newer ideas by which the younger generation can be connected, particularly through digital and social media, which is most relevant to the younger generation today," he said.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Bhubaneswar successfully celebrated women's leadership, entrepreneurial resilience, and the global Indian diaspora's enduring contributions, showcasing the vibrancy and interconnectedness of India's cultural and professional fabric.