The republic of India observes Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrated for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 09th January. The motto of celebrating Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is to celebrate the contribution of the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community towards the development of the nation. On 09th January 1915, the father of India, Mahatma Gandhi, returned from South Africa to Mumbai; that’s why Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was observed on 09thJanuary. The event is sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Indian Government, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICC), the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), and the Ministry of development of the North Eastern region. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is held from 7th to 9th January every other year in a selected state of India. At the events, a forum on issues that concerns the Indian diaspora is organized, and people are awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards. The concept of an overseas citizen of India/NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka was officially launched during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention at Hyderabad on 09th January 2006.
In the year 2014 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was celebrated for NRIs in New Delhi and attended by 1500 delegates from 51 countries. In2014, the Pravasi Bharatiya awards were awarded by President Pranab Mukherjee to the people of the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community who are creating a significant impact onthe world. The 11thPravasi Bharatiya Divas was celebrated in Kochi from 7thto 9th January 2013. In the 11thPravasi Bharatiya Divas, the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce was the organizing partner of the event. The guest of honor of the inauguration ceremony was the President of Mauritius Rajkeshwur Purryag, and Canadian Minister Jason Kenny was the first individual of non-Indian heritage who addressed the gathering. The 16thPravasi Bharatiya Divas was held on 21stto 23rd January 2019 in the city of Varanasi.
History of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas as an NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Under the chairmanship of L.M. Singhvi, the Government of India set up a high-level committee on the Indian diaspora. The committee under L.M. Singhvi recommended celebrating Pravasi Bharatiya Divas for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka. On 08th January 2002, the existing Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee received the committee report at a public function at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Immediately after receiving the report, the Prime Minister announced Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 09th January 2002. 09th January was chosen as the date to mark the return of the father of India, Mahatma Gandhi, from South Africa to India in 1915.
Mahatma Gandhi was the greatest Pravasi who returned from South Africa to India on 09th January 1915 and led India’s freedom struggle and changed the life of the Indian people forever. In 2003 it came into effect, but in 2015 it was revised and decided to be celebrated once every two years. After revising, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas became a theme-based conference set up annually during the interim period. The 16thPravasi Bharatiya Divas convention was held virtually in New Delhi, and the chosen theme for the event was ‘Contributing to Aatmnirbhar Bharat.’
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was marked by special programs to recognize the contributions of Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and People of Indian Origin (PIO) to celebrate exceptional contributions in their chosen fields. It was a forum to discuss different issues and concerns of the people of the Indian diaspora. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has been organized every year since the year 2003. The event was sponsored by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and the Confederation of Indian industry.
NRIs in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (Formerly Ceylon), is an Indian Ocean island republic separated from peninsular India by the Palk Strait. It has a maximum length of 268 miles (432 km) and a maximum width of 139 miles and is located between latitudes 5°55′ and 9°51′ N and longitudes 79°41′ and 81°53′ E. It has a maximum length of 268 miles (432 km) and a maximum width of 139 miles and is located between latitudes 5°55′ and 9°51′ N and longitudes 79°41′ and 81°53′ E (224 km).
Sri Lanka’s history is connected with those of the Indian subcontinent as a whole, as well as the neighbouring regions of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean.
Capitals:- Colombo
Population:- 22,152,000(2022 Est.)
Official Languages:- Sinhala
Total Area:- 65,610(Sq. Km)
Monetary Unit:- LKR
Indian Population:- 842,323 (4.2% of the Sri Lankan population)
The Central Highlands’ geography is severely dissected, with plateaus, hills, escarpments, intermontane basins, and valleys forming a distinctive configuration. This area has Sri Lanka’s tallest mountains, including named as Pidurutalagala at 8,281 feet (2,524 metres), Kirigalpotta at 7,858 feet,& Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada) at 7,559 feet. Except for their western and southwestern edges, the highlands are bounded by a series of escarpments, the most magnificent of which is the so-called World’s End, a near-vertical 4,000-foot cliff.
The plain that surrounds the Central Highlands is neither completely flat nor devoid of features. The plain is spanned by low ridges that diminish in altitude as they reach the shore to the north and northeast of the highlands. Alternating hills and valleys running parallel to the shore in the western and southwestern regions of the plain, increasing in height into the interior to blend imperceptibly with the highland bulk.
Economy
Sri Lanka’s economy under the British administration was divided into two parts: a modern sector dominated by plantation agriculture, and a traditional sector dominated by subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing used to be a minor part of the economy. Plantation agriculture was primarily supported by banking and trade. Tea, rubber, and coconut were the three most important plantation crops, accounting for nearly all foreign revenues. Imports accounted for approximately three-quarters of the country’s food needs and virtually all of its manufactured products.
For more than 2,500 years, Indian traders have visited and settled in Sri Lanka; Colombo Chetties are descendants of traders who arrived in Sri Lanka during the Portuguese colonial era in 1505 CE. Since millennia BCE, Sri Lankan rulers have enlisted the help of South Indian labourers. According to the main source Mahavamsa, the establishment of Anuradhapura by Prakrit speakers was accompanied by a number of service groups from the Pandyan kingdom in present-day Tamil Nadu.
As early as the 2nd century BCE, traders and others in Anuradhapura and other parts of Sri Lanka self-identified as Damelas or Damedas (Sinhala and Sinhala prakrit meaning Tamils). The concept of the Demedas being foreigners was not widespread throughout the Early Historical Period.
Resources
Minerals such as gemstones, graphite, ilmenite, iron ore, limestone, quartz, mica, industrial clays, and salt have substantial resource potential in Sri Lanka. Nonferrous metals and minerals such as titanium, monazite, and zircon are found in small but commercially extractable concentrations in the beach sands in a few locations. The sole known source of fossil fuels is low-grade peat discovered in a marshy area of the west coast.
What is Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for an NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka?
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka is one of the highest honors conferred to a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or any organization or institution established or run by a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or Person of Indian Origin (PIO). The award is awarded to the people who have made a significant contribution to understanding India in foreign countries and who supported India’s cause and concerns in a tangible way.
In the year 2021, the Government of India celebrated 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. The event was organized virtually in the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases nationwide. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated to honor the achievements of Non-Resident Indians around the world and is also known as Non-Resident Indian Day. It is celebrated to strengthen the engagement of the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community with the Indian Government and reconnect them with their roots and heritage.
Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The committee headed by Shri L.M. Singhvi also recommended that the government should renew and strengthen the linkages of the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka communities to the place of their origin and with each other. The committee recommended setting up a focal point for networking between India and these NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka communities. The place needs to be suitable, and it should be a place that could commemorate the trials, regulations, evolution, and achievements of the Indian diaspora. In the second Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee considered the recommendation and announced that the government would set up Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi.
On 09th January 2011, the foundation stone of Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra was laid by the existing Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, and finally, in April 2013, the construction of the Kendra was started. Recent Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra on 02nd October on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti in New Delhi. The Kendra is expected to develop into a hub of activities for sustainable, symbiotic, and mutually rewarding economic, social, and cultural engagement between India, the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community, and its diaspora. Over time the government is expected to organize activities, events, seminars, and workshops about the Indian diaspora.
The museum constructed inside the Kendra will depict the history of migration of the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community and their experience and contributions to foreign countries. In the Kendra state-of-the-art auditorium, the conferences and workshops with NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka will be organized on a regular basis. The Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra was renamed Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in order to tribute to the late leader.
Significance of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a significant event as the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community gets a platform to engage with the Indian Government and the native people of the country. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has been very successful and helpful in networking among the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community residing in various parts of the world. The event enables the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community to share their experience and contributions in various fields. It is a platform that allows them to connect with their heritage, roots, and history. It is in conjunction with the return of Mahatma Gandhi, a person who inspired a lot of people all around the globe and who taught the world that you don’t need arms and weapons to bring revolution. The return of Gandhi on 09th January was recognized as an honor, and that’s why the day has great significance. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas have significantly contributed to a better understanding of India abroad.
Initiatives that are taken by the Government of India for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Following are the initiatives that the Indian Government takes for the NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka Community: –
Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The government has launched Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PKVY) to institutionalize the skill development of immigrant Indian workers residing in foreign countries. The Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana holistically prepares the candidates to confidently take up challenging assignments in various foreign countries and meets all the transnational skill requirements. This program is of great help to blue-collar workers who will get an opportunity to acquire professional skills and will be able to communicate in foreign languages. Besides this, they will also get skills in particular trades. The Ministry of External Affairs started the Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana skill development initiative. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Skill Development in Entrepreneurship helped design the memorandum of understanding for implementing the Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana. The scheme’s implementation will be done by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) with its training partners in consultation.
Know India Program (KIP) for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The government organizes the Know India Program (KIP) to familiarise the Indian-origin youth residing outside India with their Indian routes and contemporary India. The Ministry of External Affairs launches the Know India Program (KIP). It is a three-week orientation program for the diaspora youth. The program is conducted with a motive to promote awareness of the different facets of life in India and the progress that the country has made in various fields like science and technology, education, economy, industry, etc. It is a unique forum for students and young professionals of Indian origins. Through this program, they can visit India, share their views, expectations, and experiences, and develop close bonds with contemporary India. Under the Know India Program, the government has organized the Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana (PTDY), an initiative of the Indian government that provides the elder generation people of Indian origin with a chance to reconnect with their roots.
Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty (VAJRA) for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty (VAJRA) scheme was launched to formalize a rotation program where the top Non-Resident Indian scientists, doctors, managers, engineers, and professionals will serve Indian public sector organizations for a short period and will lend their expertise to those organizations. The Visiting Advanced Joint Research faculty is a program exclusively dedicated to academicians and overseas scientists that emphasize Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin to work as visiting faculty in Indian public-funded academic institutions for a short period of time. The motto of the scheme is to recognize the value of collaborative research and draw different perspectives to solve the shared problem. The scheme recognizes collaborative research as a crucial element for information sharing between researchers and updating and acquiring knowledge in skills. It welcomes overseas scientists to take up new challenging research problems in the Indian setting.
Scholarship Program for Diaspora Children (SPDC) for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Scholarship Program for Diaspora Children (SPDC) provides 100 scholarships annually to people of Indian Origin and Non-Resident Indian students for various undergraduate courses. The Scholarship Program for Diaspora Children (SPDC) was introduced in 2006-07. The program’s motto was to make higher education in Indian universities in different fields accessible to the people of Indian Origin and Non-Resident Indians. It promotes India as a center for higher studies. Under the scheme, the students of Indian origin are awarded different types of scholarship, which includes payment of tuition fees, admission fees, hostel charges, and other expenses. Besides food charges, the government pays all the charges mentioned above for undergraduate courses in engineering, humanity, technology, arts, management, journalism, commerce, liberals, agriculture, animal husbandry, and other courses.
E-Migrate for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Indian government launched the E-migrate system to ensure the welfare and check on the exploitation met by emigrants. It is a type of foreign employee database where the government stores all the data of foreign employees. The e-migrate system was created to regulate overseas employment specifically for less educated blue-collar workers. E-migrate is an integrated program of Passport Seva Projects (PSP), the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Bureau of Immigration of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Every time an immigrant arrives at the airport or cross-checks post to proceed abroad, the passport details of the immigrant are validated online by the officers. The people who already receive the immigration clearance are allowed to travel, and the rest are restricted. It is amazing to ensure the protection against the exploitation of Indian workers. This system functions according to the control of protected general of immigrants.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Objectives for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Following are the objectives of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka: –
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated with the motto to connect with the for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka Community, including Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and People of Indian Origin (PIO).
It is celebrated for creating an for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka network and connecting with the younger generations.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas provides an open platform to Non-Resident Indians where they can express their vision, concerns, and perceptions about India.
It is a platform to resolve the issues that are faced by the for NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka community.
And lastly, the objective of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is to honor the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and Person of Indian Origin (PIO) for making a profound and significant contribution to India’s nation-building exercise NRIs in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Sum up
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was initiated on 09th January 2003 by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The 09th January has a great significance in history as Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi came to India from South Africa on 09th January 1915. In 2015 the format of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was revised, and now it holds theme-based conferences and is celebrated once in every two years. The flagship event of the ministry of external affairs has successfully organized the 16thPravasi Bharatiya Divas since 2003.
