Ashok Mago, a prominent voice of the Indian-American community and a Padma Shri awardee in 2014, will participate in a session on ‘Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers: Stories of Migrant Skills’ at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention in Bhubaneswar on its inaugural day on Thursday. Mago — the chairman & CEO of management consulting firm in Texas, Mago & Associates Inc — has played a key role in drumming up support for the India-US civil nuclear deal in the US Congress.
The theme of the PBD Convention 2025 is ‘Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat’, which will also see PM Narendra Modi virtually flagging off the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train. The train will depart from Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi and would travel to multiple destinations of touristic and religious importance in India for a period of three weeks.
As many as 6,000 business leaders, philanthropists, academicians, economists, cultural proponents, philosophers and thought leaders will converge in Bhubaneswar from 75 countries over the next three days.
The sessions will be focussed on seeking investments for India, and specifically for Odisha, which installed a BJP CM last year, wresting it from Naveen Patnaik’s BJD. The last two editions of the convention were also held in BJP-ruled states — Madhya Pradesh (Indore) in 2023 and Uttar Pradesh (Varanasi) in 2021.
Sopnendu Mohanty, chief fintech officer of the Monetary Authority of Singapore; Rohit Ratnakar Rao, Founder-CEO of ‘Medrock Corporation’, a multinational pharmaceutical company in Peru & Bolivia; and Ashok Kalra, managing director and partner of the Mughal Mahal Group, a chain of restaurants across Kuwait will also attend the event.
As India marks 10 years of the Act East Policy, Odisha, given its vast coastline, well-developed ports and abundant natural resources offer huge economic opportunities to investors and business stakeholders in the ASEAN region and the Indo-Pacific, officials say. The state leads in mining, iron and steel manufacturing, marine economy, sports, skilling and even knowledge economy. Several Indian IT companies have established bases in Odisha. The PBD event would be an opportunity to showcase what Odisha has to offer the world, they add.
The event will also see a special joint business session of the MEA and Odisha government, which will witness interaction between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, CM Mohan Charan Majhi, with members of the Indian diaspora involved in business, particularly from Odisha.
Diaspora connect
Over the last decade, the Centre has made a sustained effort to connect with the Indian community overseas, with PM Narendra Modi making it a point to address a community event during each of his foreign visits. Every year, 25 lakh Indians immigrate overseas, making India the nation with the highest annual number of emigrants in the world. More often than not, the members of the diaspora act as a bridge in fostering political and economic ties with the host country.
“From being the ancient kingdom of Kalinga to a modern hub of industry, culture, and education, Odisha has undergone a remarkable transformation. The state’s blend of history, culture, and economic potential makes it a unique part of India’s journey into the future,” says PBD website.
A host of art proponents who have contributed to the spread of Indian cultural legacy have also been invited and will speak at a session on ‘Diaspora Dialogues: Stories of Culture, Connection, and Belongingness’, to be chaired by Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Aishwarya Hegde of Deepam Odissi Academy in Oman; Paresh Kumar Ratilal Mehta, who presently serves as ‘Trustee of Shree Sanatan Dharma Mandal Kampala’, and is National Convener of BJP Uganda; Shankar Kandasamy, head of the Department of Bharatanatyam at the Temple of Fine Arts in Malaysia; and Arnab Roychuramony, a businessman and cultural enthusiast from Ukraine will also speak at the session.
‘Celebrating Women’s Leadership and Influence – Nari Shakti’ will be chaired by Jaishankar and moderated by ISRO scientist Ritu Karidhal. Youth Affairs Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will lead a session on ‘Diaspora Youth Leadership in a Globalized World’.
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