Bhubaneswar (Odisha): Spotlighting the country’s march towards becoming a 'Viksit Bharat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought the participation of the diaspora in making India a developed nation by 2047. "India got independence in 1947 and our diaspora played a big role in this. They contributed towards the freedom of India while living abroad. Now we have a target of making India a developed nation by 2047," said Prime Minister Modi while speaking at the inaugural session of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Bhubaneswar.
In a message to the global community, PM Modi said the future is not in ‘yuddha’ (war) but in Buddha (Lord Buddha, who symbolizes peace). “When there was a race to conquer the world with the power of swords, Emperor Ashoka chose the path of peace at Dhauli in Odisha (the host for the convention). Dhauli in the state is the symbol of peace. This inspires India to tell the world that the future is not in yuddha (war) but in Buddha”, he told the gathering.
Modi underlined that India’s global role is rising because of its achievements in various fields. “The world listens carefully to India. Today’s India makes its points very strongly. It also strongly raises the voices of the Global South. When India proposed to make the African Union a permanent member of the G20, all members supported it. India has been expanding its global role with a focus on ‘humanity first’,” he said.
Praising the Indian diaspora for its contribution to India's growth, the PM said that it is due to their hard work that the country has become number one in the world in terms of remittances. Asserting that India is not limited to big cities only, he mentioned that a large part of the population resides in tier-2, tier-3 cities and villages, and the diaspora should promote 'heritage tourism' of India in the countries they are residing.
"There's a lot of Indian culture there. We have to connect the world with this heritage," stated PM Modi. He appealed to the diaspora to visit the amazing tourist destinations located in small towns, villages of India and later share their experiences with friends and ensure they also visit India.
"You have to come forward to let the people of the country you are living in know the real history of India. Today's generation in those countries does not know our prosperity in the past, the long periods of subjugation, and our struggles. You all can let the world know the true history of India," the PM said.
