Kolkata to host 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in January

• The 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention will be held in Kolkata from January 7 to 9.

• The website for the convention (pbdindia.gov.in) was jointly launched by the Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, at New Delhi on November 11, 2026.

• The theme of the 19th PBD Convention is ‘Return to Roots: Reigniting the Diaspora Connect with Bharat’.

• The three-day Convention will commence with the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Convention. 

• President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the valedictory session and confer the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards. 

• The awards recognise the exceptional contributions of the members of the Indian diaspora in their respective fields and their role in strengthening India’s engagement with the global community.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)

• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on January 9 to recognise the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the growth and development of India. 

• January 9 was chosen for PBD as it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa and led its freedom struggle.

• Theme-based PBD Conventions are held once every two years with participation from overseas diaspora experts, policy makers and stakeholders. 

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention

• The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is a flagship event of the government of India and provides an important platform to engage and connect with the overseas Indian diaspora. 

• The first PBD Convention was organised on January 2, 2003 to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.

• These conventions provide a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the government and people of the land of their ancestors for mutually beneficial activities. These conventions are also very useful in networking among the overseas Indian community residing in various parts of the world and enable them to share their experiences in various fields.

• Since 2015, under a revised format, PBD Convention has been organised once every two years.