Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
♦ Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), also known as Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Day, is celebrated on January 9 to honour and commemorate the achievements and dedication of the Indian community worldwide to the advancement of India. The day marks the day when Mahatma Gandhi came back to India on January 9, 1915 after 21 years spending his time in South Africa, which influenced the movement of independence in India. ♦ Launched in 2003 by the Government of India, PBD enhances connections between the diaspora (that is valued at more than 35 million Non- Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and the motherland. ♦ In 2015 and later, events previously held once a year were rescheduled to bi-annual conventions to enable them to plan well in advance.