Welcome Speech by Mr. Yashhwant Sinha, Minister of External Affairs INAUGURAL SESSION
January 9, 2003, New DelhiSpecial Address by The Right Honourable Sir Anerood Jugnauth Prime Minister
H.E. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India
Distinguished Delegates
Ladies and GentlemenI feel greatly honoured to be in your midst on this auspicious occasion of the first Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. I wish at the very outset to thank the Hon. Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the personal invitation he extended to me to attend such an important celebration today.
May I also thank heartily the Organising Committee for the warm welcome and for the excellent arrangements for making our stay a most comfortable and memorable one.
We are all gathered here on this symbolic day of the Ninth of January, which also marks the return of Mahatma Gandhiji after his long stay in South Africa.
We are here also as true descendants of the first Indian emigrants that settled in countries far and wide and from east to west over hundreds of years ago.
We have come to share our rich and diverse experience and to contribute in building a new framework for enhanced cooperation, leading to a more prosperous and peaceful world for all of us.
As we meet here, in the land of the greatest apostle of peace of the twentieth century, it is my sincere wish that we are inspired by his message of courage, resilience, peace and tolerance.
There is no doubt in my mind that these perennial values of Indian civilisation will remain a constant source of inspiration to us all. We have to strive endlessly towards building a world free of conflict; a planet worthy for the future generations, respecting the highest values of humanism.
Distinguished Delegates
From the humble labourer in the sugarcane fields to the whiz kid of the Silicon Valley, from the small trader around the corner shop to the richest business magnate, from the factory worker to the Nobel Laureate and NASA scientist, people of Indian Origin have across the Globe contributed to the socio-economic upliftment of the countries in which they lived.
Some of us have even been successful in the political arena and have become Presidents and Prime Ministers.
While the Indian brethren in foreign lands were advancing in rapid strides, India established itself over the last decade as a global leader in science, technology and industrial advancement.
I wish here to place on record the great contribution of India in opening its Universitites and institutions of higher learning to thousands of sons and daughters of the Indian diaspora to undergo tertiary level education. Today, thanks to India, they are accomplished top-notch professionals who are participating actively in their countries' development.
Distinguished Delegates
Allow me to share with you all at this juncture, some features of my country.
Of some 1.5 million men and women who left India under the indentured labour system for the sugar colonies, around 454,000 came to Mauritius, and of those around 300,000 settled permanently.
Their life was one of a long history of exploitation, under a system which curtailed their freedom of movement, which imposed a double cut of wages for one day's absence from work, and which had little provision for health care, sanitation and basic amenities.
Indeed the sugar estate camps in which labourers were housed symbolized in many ways the misery which our brave ancestors endured to build a better future.
For long, the previous generations have toiled from dawn to dusk, through sweat and tears, to build the very foundations of our modern society.
Inspite of all their tribulations, our forefathers have been able to bequeath to us the rich and diverse cultural heritage which they brought along with them.
They realised, and rightly so, that culture is that essential ingredient which confers identity and dignity to a community.
In fact, there can be no real development and progress without cultural assertion.
Though they were themselves mostly illiterate, yet they were wise enough to understand the all-encompassing meaning of culture, in its broad definition, to include education.
The rites and traditions of the Indian Immigrants have been transmitted from generation to generation and continue to flourish to-day in Mauritius.
Our ancestors celebrated with fervour important religious festivals, bringing together each component of the Mauritian society.
In its endeavour to consolidate the ancestral cultural legacy, the Government of Mauritius has thought it wise and appropriate to support institutions, such as the Hindi and Urdu Speaking Unions and the Tamil Telegu, Marathi Cultural Centres.
Furthermore, Mauritius hosted the first World Hindi Conference outside India. I wish also to underline that Mauritius has been chosen as the seat of the World Hindi Secretariat.
To mark the arrival of the first batch of indentured labourers in Mauritius on 2nd November 1834 from India, an annual commemorative ceremony is performed at the Aapravasi Ghat and the 2nd November has now been declared a public holiday.
The Government of Mauritius will present the Aapravasi Ghat Project to UNESCO for its inclusion in the list of World Heritage Sites.
Distinguished Delegates ,
No social progress is possible if the nation feels insecure in its identity.
The pacific co-existence of a culturally diverse Mauritian society has been the bedrock foundation of our economic success.
Over the past two decades, the Mauritian economy has undergone profound changes: from a mono-crop economy, we have progressed into a diversified manufacturing and services hub. We have developed into a top class tourist destination and a dynamic financial services centre.
And now we are determined to transform Mauritius into a Cyberlsland.
I avail myself of this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to the commitment of the Indian Government and specially to Prime Minister Vajpayee for extending the appropriate financial, technological and human resource assistance to Mauritius in realising this goal.
Distinguished Delegates,
Before ending, allow me to say a few words in hindi;
Bharat roopi vishal perh se alag hokar, alag alag deshon mein, hum ne apna ek sansaar basayaa. Mein yeh kamna karoonga ki apni sanskriti aur apni pehchaan ko banaye rakhte huwe, ok eise marg ko tarashein jahan hum sab milkar apne sapnon ko sakaar kar sakein. Aaj ka yug kadi prati spardha ka hai. Mujhe vishwas hai ki hum sab milkar apne apne liye pragati aur kush hali ke naye marg banayein ge.
Distinguished Delegates
While we did not have control of our past, we certainly hold the future in our hands.
It is now left to us to shape our own future. We have to chart out our own roadmap if we want to succeed in today's highly competitive world. For this, we have to unite our forces, we have to create the right synergies. We have to build on our strengths. We have to overcome our shortcomings.
I am confident that we have the political will as well as the courage to do so.
I sincerely hope that from this confluence of minds will emerge a new pathway that will lead the Indian diaspora towards achieving social and economic progress for themselves and for the countries where they are settled.
I thank you for your attention.
Welcome Speech by Mr. Yashhwant Sinha, Minister of External Affairs
Honourable Prime Minister Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji;
His Excellency, Rt. Honourable Sir Anerood Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius;
Honourable Deputy Prime Minister Sri L.K. Advaniji;
Sri L.M. Singhviji, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Pravasi
Bharatiya Divas;
My Cabinet colleagues;
Distinguished Members of Parliament from India and other countries;
Ladies and Gentlemen,It is my pleasant duty to welcome all of you gathered here for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
January 9 is a very special day. It is on this day that Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa. The choice of this date for the celebration of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is therefore most appropriate. Just as the Mahatma changed the course of Indian history after his return, I am certain overseas Indians will play a major role in the building of a glorious future for India and the world.
An eminent predecessor of mine had outlined India's vision towards overseas Indians. He declared at a seminar in New Delhi and I quote "the subject of overseas Indians is one which is very dear to our hearts... Everyone of Indian origin overseas is a representative of India and retains many aspects of our cultural traditions and civilization. Though our sons and daughters have gone abroad to work or to reside there, India will never disown them or fail to appreciate and respect their essential loyalty to the culture and heritage of the mother country". Unquote.
These words were spoken 25 years ago by none else than our respected Prime Minister Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is his inspiring leadership which has made this event possible today. If the concerns and interests of NRIs and PIOs are currently on the top of the national agenda, it is entirely due to the direction provided by our Prime Minister. I thank you, Sir, for the inspiration, guidance and support you have provided for the organization of this event and the realization of your dream of twenty five years ago.
We have amidst us today entrepreneurs, scientists, economists, scholars, writers, social workers, public figures and national leaders. The Indian diaspora has made a distinctive impact on every one of the countries in which they live by virtue of their loyalty, dedication, hard work and success. Each one of you have at the same time by maintaining your commitment to Bharatiyata or Indianness done India proud. Everyone of you here is an 'achiever' in your own right and as you succeed, India succeeds with you.
The love and affection with which the Indian diaspora regards India, its people, its culture, and its concerns is something which strikes everyone who comes into contact with members of the diaspora. To quote the words of Jawaharlal Nehru on India and her children "but she is very loveable and none of her children can forget her wherever they go or whatever strange fate befalls them. For, she is part of them in her greatness as well as her failings".
I believe we have every reason to be optimistic about India, the Indian diaspora and our partnership. Today is only the beginning. We will in future organize many more such events. With each year, the activities for and involving overseas Indians will grow bigger and better. The Indian diaspora has today come into its own. Similarly, India too has arrived on the world stage.
Let me extend a warm welcome to all eminent Indians who have gathered here today from abroad and from India, in particular the Honourable Prime Minister Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, His Excellency Right Honourable Sir Anerood Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius and Honourable Deputy Prime Minister Sri L.K. Advaniji.
To conclude, the colour of our passports are different, the religions we profess are not the same, our mother tongues vary and the regions from which our ancestors came are far apart, phir bhi dil hai Hindustani
We stand united by our Indianness.
