President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (PBSA) during the closing session of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Friday. The event highlights the contributions of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) across various fields.

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• President Murmu to present PBSA to 27 individuals and organisations from countries including the US, Fiji, Guyana, and Saudi Arabia.
• PBSA recognises contributions in education, science, trade, arts, social work, and more.
• Notable awardees include Baroness Usha Kumari Prashar (UK, politics), Dr Sharmila Ford (US, community service), and Dr Syed Anwar Khursheed (Saudi Arabia, medical science).
• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas marks Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa in 1915.
• The 18th convention, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi, features 5,000 delegates from across the globe.
• PM Modi emphasized diaspora contributions to India’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
• Exhibitions include “Vishwaroop Ram” (legacy of Ramayana) and Odisha’s history and culture.
• PM Modi flagged off the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a tourist train showcasing India’s cultural and historical sites.
• Sessions over three days covered diaspora’s role in technology, heritage, and global peace initiatives.