Newsroom24x7 Staff

For years the term “brain drain” has been in vogue. But if we look at the diaspora as our strength we can convert this into “brain gain. -Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra with the message that the nation should look at Indian diaspora not merely as numbers but as our strength.

The PM was speaking at a special function here to mark the opening of the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra. He said that the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri was an apt occasion for such an event. He said Mahatma Gandhi had left India, but the call of the nation had brought him back.

Modi said that for years the term “brain drain” has been in vogue. But if we look at the diaspora as our strength we can convert this into “brain gain.”

The Prime Minister said that at a time when the world is keen to engage with India, the “fear of the unknown” can be the biggest obstacle but the Indian diaspora can help us overcome this.

Emphasizing the importance of connecting with the diaspora, Modi recalled how former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had initiated the concept of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which has been continued by successive governments.

The Prime Minister said that India, and especially the Ministry of External Affairs, has done significant humanitarian work in the last two years. He noted how not just Indians, but citizens of many other countries have been rescued from conflict and disaster zones.

The Prime Minister said that India has never attacked another nation and went on to recall the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers while protecting foreign lands in the two world wars, and added that the world must recognize this sacrifice.

The Prime Minister visited the exhibition on “Gandhi – Ek Pravasi” and launched a booklet on Yoga Protocol for Diabetes control. He also distributed prizes to winners of the ‘Know India’ Quiz.