2015 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was unmatched in grandeur and numbers: MEA

GANDHINAGAR: The Ministry of External Affairs today said the 2015 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention was unmatched in scale, grandeur and number of participants.

"The 2015 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was unmatched in terms of scale, grandeur and in terms of the numbers who participated in the event," MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said here.

He said 4,000 delegates from different countries participated in the event and claimed that there were many firsts at the three-day event which concluded today.

"There were many firsts in this event. For the first time a community worker Ashraf Palarkunnummal of UAE was given 'Pravasi Bharatiya Samman' award for his service in individual capacity. He has helped sending many bodies of Indians who died back to their home, in his individual capacity without any institutional support," he said.

"This was the best example of co-operative federalism. There was an element of co-operation and competition when nine chief ministers invited investment to their states," he said.

Replying to a question on UP government's plan to celebrate their state's NRI function on similar lines as the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, he welcomed it saying, "This reflects that the event has generated a spirit of competition as well as cooperation. It is good if a state like UP organises such function".