Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the beginning of the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention 2025 on January 8, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Bhubaneswar this evening.

He will spend the night at the Eco Retreat, Konark. 

The External Affairs Minister is scheduled to visit the Sun Temple tomorrow. He will then pay obeisance to the deities at the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri. 

He will also visit Raghurajpur and would then proceed to Dhauli and Shree Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar.

Jaishankar will attend the three-day convention in Bhubaneswar on January 8.

“The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be celebrated in a grand way. As I have been told by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, preparations for the convention have been completed. I hope this will be a success in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Jaishankar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 18th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in Bhubaneswar on January 9.

President of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Carla Kangaloo, will be the Chief Guest and address the convention virtually.

President of India, Droupadi Murmu will be joining the convention on January 9. Murmu will honour 27 individuals with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) 2025 in recognition of their exceptional contributions to India and abroad during the valedictory session.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated on January 9 to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s return from South Africa to India in 1915.

The convention is a key initiative of the Government to connect and engage with the Indian diaspora.