Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the occasion of the virtual ceremony of the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (January 9), praised the Indian diaspora for their contributions to the global community throughout the pandemic.
The Prime Minister also expressed his gratitude to them for the contributions they made to the PM Cares Fund, saying – “Your contribution to PM Cares Fund is being utilized to strengthen health infrastructure in the country. I extend gratitude to you for this”.
The Prime Minister has posted the video of his speech during the virtual ceremony on his Twitter handle. “Last year was a challenging year. The work done by the Indian diaspora across the world and the way they fulfilled their duties, it is a matter of pride for the country. Many Indians living abroad have also lost their lives to COVID. I express my condolences to their families”, said Modi at the convention.
He added, “In the past some months, I talked to several heads of states where they mentioned the work done by Pravasi Bharatiya (Non-Resident Indian) doctors, paramedics, and others. Temples, Gurudwaras, and our tradition of langar, our social, cultural, and religious organizations have worked for everyone without discrimination. They (state heads) spent most of their time praising the work done by the Indian diaspora”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflected upon India’s transformation from a country that till recently imported medical devices and equipment to one that is ready to “save humanity” with two Made-In-India vaccines to fight coronavirus. He also spoke about the various areas in which the country had developed.
“India used to import PPE kits, masks, ventilators, and testing kits from outside but today our nation is self-reliant. Today India is ready to save humanity with two ‘Made in India’ COVID-19 vaccines,” PM Modi said while virtually inaugurating the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention.