Pravasi Bharatiya Express: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to remotely flag off the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Express' on Wednesday from New Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station. It is a state-of-the-art tourist train dedicated to the Indian diaspora. Designed exclusively for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) aged between 45 and 65, the train is a key initiative aimed at connecting the diaspora to their cultural and spiritual roots.
All about 'Pravasi Bharatiya Express'
The Pravasi Bharatiya Express will embark on its maiden journey on January 9, a date chosen to mark the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's return from South Africa to India in 1915. The train will operate for a duration of three weeks, covering key tourist and pilgrimage sites across India. Its itinerary includes visits to Ayodhya, Patna, Gaya, Varanasi, Mahabalipuram, Rameswaram, Madurai, Kochi, Goa, Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Ajmer, Pushkar, and Agra.
Capable of accommodating 156 passengers, the train is being launched under the Ministry of External Affairs’ Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana (PTDY) in collaboration with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). This initiative is aimed at fostering a deeper connection between the Indian diaspora and their heritage through a carefully curated travel experience.
18th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas convention
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the 18th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas convention in Odisha. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is the flagship event of the Government of India that provides an important platform to connect and engage with the Indian diaspora and enable them to interact with each other. The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is being organised in partnership with the State Government of Odisha from 8th - 10th January 2025 in Bhubaneswar. The theme of this PBD Convention is "Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat”. A large number of Indian diaspora members from over 50 different countries have registered to participate in the PBD Convention.
ALSO READ: PM Modi inaugurates, lay foundation stones for key railway projects
