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Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration ceremony of the 13th "Pravasi Bharatiya Divas" or Overseas Indians Conference at Gandhinagar in Gujarat on Thursday. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on January 9, every year to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of India.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel visit the Global trade show during PBD. January 9 marks the day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa.
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Mr. Modi lights the lamp at the inauguration of the PBD 2015. Union Minister for External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs Sushma Swaraj, Chief Minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel are seen. This year, the PBD celebrates 100 years since Mahatma Gandhi's return.
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Ms. Swaraj lights the inaugural lamp of the PBD. Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is also seen. She exhorted young global Indians to "connect, celebrate and contribute to build Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat".
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Mr. Modi delivers the inaugural address to the Indian diaspora. He called upon the diaspora to "unite as a positive global force in the cause of humanity".
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Mr. Modi releases a special coin to commemorate 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi's homecoming.
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The commemorative coin and a stamp released alongside have pictures of a young Gandhi as a barrister and as a freedom fighter.
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Mr. Modi and Ms. Swaraj with the delegation of the President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar.
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Mr. Modi meets the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. India and South Africa discussed the need for UN Security Council reforms, said Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry.
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Ms. Swaraj and Ms. Patel inaugurate the Global Trade Show. The event has been organised every year since 2003 by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
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Members of the All Kerala Gulf Returnees and Pravasi Federation in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy sought the Centre’s support to rehabilitate Indians who have returned from Saudi Arabia after a change in laws there.
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A delegate holds a brochure with a portrait of Narendra Modi during the inauguration of Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Gandhinagar.
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Foreign students take a selfie at inaugural session of the PBD at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. Photo: Vijay Soneji
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Artists perform on stage during the PBD celebrations at Kankariya Lake in Ahmedabad. In his introductory address, Prof. Lokesh Chandra, president,Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), said that the culture of India was the most precious identity of the country.