The Non Residential Indians (NRI) Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2011 award (PBD) is scheduled this year to be held at the Toronto Convention Center in Toronto, Canada from June 9-10. The slogan for this year's PBD is “Building Economic Bridges”. It will be hosted by Vayalar Ravi, Indian Minister for Overseas Affairs and Aviation. “Canadian Governor General David Johnston will join Vayalar Ravi and his four Cabinet colleagues in welcoming the Indian diaspora to the mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) here next week,” remarked Memon A.K. Sait, President of the Indo-Canadian Immigrant Society in Jeddah. He told Saudi Gazette that Preneet Kaur, Minister of External Affairs; Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for Planning and Science and Technology; Sachin Pilot, Minister of State for Communications; Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Road Transport; Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister; and Arun Maira, a member of the Planning Commission, are the other top Indian dignitaries attending the two-day gathering at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. With this year's theme, the PBD will serve as a platform to Indians living abroad to connect with India and participate in its growth, said Indian officials. The biggest conclave for Indians in North America and the Caribbean region, is expected to attract about 1,000 delegates, added Sait. He explained that the Indian High Commission has stated that the PBD will offer “unparalleled opportunities for networking, advancing linkages across multiple sectors – business, innovation, healthcare and culture; fostering partnerships in the small and medium-sized business sectors, providing ideas for cultural, generational and gender connections and nurturing the rapidly growing relationship between Canada and India”. Divided into various sessions, the two-day gathering will focus on India's strides in economic development, innovation, science and technology, healthcare and tele-medicine and explore possibilities of collaboration with the Indian diaspora in Canada. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India (ASSOCHAM) will hold a round-table conference on business opportunities in India. Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty and prominent Indo-Canadians – including Scotia bank Vice Chairman Sabi Marwah and Fairfax Holdings Chairman Prem Watsa – are also scheduled to address the gathering. A performance by Bollywood singer Shibani Kashyap will be part of the two
