Why Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated? Its history, theme and significance

livemint.com:

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), also known as Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Day, is celebrated on January 9 to mark the contribution and achievements of the overseas Indian community to the development of India. The day also commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, from South Africa to India in 1915, who led India's freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was first celebrated in 2003.

Its format was later revised in 2015 to celebrate the event once every two years and to hold theme-based conferences during the intervening period with participation from overseas diaspora experts, policy-makers, and stakeholders. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be celebrated on January 9, 2024. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is the flagship event of the Ministry of External Affairs.

It is held in different cities, to showcase the diversity and progress of different regions of India. Pravasi Bharatiya Diva was first celebrated in 2003. It was an annual event earlier, but in 2015, the government revised its format to celebrate PBD once every two years.

To date, 17 conventions have been held. The last Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was celebrated in the Indore of Madhya Pradesh in 2023. The theme of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is chosen to reflect the current priorities and concerns of the Indian diaspora.