The republic of India observes Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrated for NRIs in Suva, Fiji on 09th January. The motto of celebrating Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is to celebrate the contribution of the NRIs in Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji
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 Suva, Fiji. 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 Fiji
The great chief Lutunasobasoba, according to Fijian tradition, led his people across the oceans to the new territory of Fiji. Most experts think that humans entered the Pacific via the Malay Peninsula from Southeast Asia. Most researchers believe that people arrived in the Pacific via Southeast Asia’s Malay Peninsula. Long before Europeans came, Melanesians and Polynesians merged to develop a highly advanced society.
When the earliest Melanesians arrived 3,500 years ago, they brought a vast variety of food plants, the pig, and a kind of pottery known as Lapita clay with them. People who are skilled in navigation and canoe construction, as well as horticulturists, are commonly linked to that pottery.
Capital: Suva
Monetary unit: Fiji dollar
Languages: Fijian
Currency Exchange Rate:- 1 rs = 0.028 Fijian Dollar
Total area: 7,054 sq mi
Fiji is a South Pacific archipelago of islands. It borders the Koro Sea and is roughly 1,300 miles (2,100 kilometres) north of Auckland, New Zealand. The archipelago consists of 300 islands and 540 islets that span a 1,000,000-square-mile region (3,000,000 square km). Only around a hundred of the 300 islands are populated. Suva, the capital, situated on Viti Levu (“Great Fiji”), the largest island, on the southeast coast.
Land of Fiji
Fiji’s geologic history is complicated. The Fiji islands are mostly the result of volcanic activity, sedimentary deposits, and coral formations, and are built on a submerged substrate of ancient formations. Viti Levu is around 4,000 square miles (10,000 square kilometres) in size and makes up more than half of Fiji’s land area. A rugged separating range runs north to south, with numerous peaks exceeding 3,000 feet (900 metres), including Tomanivi (previously Mount Victoria), Fiji’s highest point at 4,344 feet (1,324 metres). The Rewa, Navua, Sigatoka (Singatoka), and Ba (Mba) river systems all have their headwaters in the central mountain range.
Economy of Fiji
Fiji’s economy is centred on tourism and agriculture, with the latter containing a significant subsistence industry dominated by indigenous Fijians. Subsistence farmers augment their income by growing copra, cocoa, kava, taro (also known as dalo), pineapples, cassava (manioc), bananas, or fishing. The commercial sector is mostly dependent on garment manufacturing and sugarcane production, both of which are primarily carried out by small-scale Indian farmers.
The economy also has a substantial service and light-industrial component that serves tiny neighbouring nations as well as Fiji, with businesses ranging from boatbuilding (particularly fishing boats and pleasure ships) to brewing and paint manufacturing.
Cultural life
Fiji’s multiculturalism contributes to the rich cultural heritage of the country. Many features of traditional Fijian culture have been preserved, including elaborate investiture, marriage, and other rites conducted for high-ranking chiefs. These festivities serve as a focal point for traditional crafts such as masi, or tapa fabric, which is manufactured from the bark of the paper mulberry; mat weaving; wood carving; and boat manufacturing. Yanggona (kava, prepared from the root of Piper methysticum) is consumed by Fijians and Indians alike, not just as part of major events but also in everyday life.
Fiji’s original settlers brought with them a broad variety of food plants, the pig, and a form of pottery known as Lapita ware when they arrived from the Melanesia islands at least 3,500 years ago. That pottery is usually connected with individuals who were skilled at navigation and canoe construction, as well as horticulturists. The Lapita culture was transferred from Fiji to Tonga and Samoa, where the first Polynesian cultures emerged.
What is Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for an NRIs in Suva, Fiji?
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award for NRIs in Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji community with the Indian Government and reconnect them with their roots and heritage.
Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra for NRIs in Suva, Fiji
The committee headed by Shri L.M. Singhvi also recommended that the government should renew and strengthen the linkages of the NRIs in Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji community and their experience and contributions to foreign countries. In the Kendra state-of-the-art auditorium, the conferences and workshops with NRIs in Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a significant event as the NRIs in Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji community residing in various parts of the world. The event enables the NRIs in Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji
Following are the initiatives that the Indian Government takes for the NRIs in Suva, Fiji Community: –
Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for NRIs in Suva, Fiji
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 Suva, Fiji
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 Suva, Fiji
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 Suva, Fiji
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 Suva, Fiji
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 Suva, Fiji
Following are the objectives of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas for NRIs in Suva, Fiji: –
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated with the motto to connect with the for NRIs in Suva, Fiji Community, including Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and People of Indian Origin (PIO).
It is celebrated for creating an for NRIs in Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji 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 Suva, Fiji.
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.
