Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, Minister of State for Finance, Government of India with Hon’able President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji at the International Conference of PIO Parliamentarians held at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi on January 10, 2018
Hon’able President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji arriving at the International Conference of PIO Parliamentarians held at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi on January 10, 2018 along with Shri Abhay Aggarwal, Secretary General PIOCCI; Amb. Virendra Gupta, President, ARSP; Shri Shyam Parande, Secretary General, ARSP; Major General Anil Khosla, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Seva Medal (SM), Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM)
(L-R) Shri Shyam Parande, Patron, PIOCCI; Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, Minister of State for Finance, Government of India; Hon’able President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji; Ambassador Virendra Gupta, President, ARSP; Shri Raj Kumar Bhatia, Patron, PIOCCI
Hon’able President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji received by Amb. Virendra Gupta, President, ARSP; Shri Shyam Parande, Secretary General, ARSP and Shri Abhay Aggarwal, Secretary General PIOCCI, at the International Conference of PIO Parliamentarians held at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi on January 10, 2018
Hon’able President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji addressing the International Conference of PIO Parliamentarians held at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi on January 10, 2018

CONCEPT NOTE

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF PIO PARLIAMENTARIANS
10 JANUARY 2018 -NEW DELHI

Building Bridges of Friendship and Understanding Between India and their Countries

Diaspora is one of the six mega trends under the current phase of globalization. It has emerged as one of the global heritage resources in the socio-cultural arena and an important driver of global economic engagement.

Indian Diaspora estimated to be around 30 million strong and spread around 102 countries have demonstrated strong retention of their Indian identity and shown great emotional and cultural attachment with India. They have played a significant socio-cultural and democratic role in their host countries which reflect the democratic ethos and tolerant, accommodative value system of Indian civilization. The rising India with its global footprint and its urge to spread its soft presence across the globe, finds its children abroad as its best partner.

Besides possessing a global Indian identity, they are also amongst the top professionals occupying high positions in economic and professional echelons of their countries. With India’s growth story and emergence of huge economic opportunities they are well poised to play an important role in facilitating trade and investment linkages between their adopted countries and India.

The Indian Diaspora serves as a catalyst between India and Indian Diaspora hosting countries increasing their cultural, economic and strategic ties. The role of diaspora in the bilateral relations of host and home countries plays out at both state and civil society levels. But the shaping of the policy to enable diaspora as a catalyst in is done by parliamentarians and state functionaries. Their role is further complimented by people to people interactions in the socio- cultural and business area.

It is in this context that Antar-Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad(ARSP) and PIO-CCI are organising an International Conference of PIO Parliamentarians in New Delhi on 10 th January, 2018. Over 130 Parliamentarians of Indian origin from different countries around the world have confirmed their participation in the conference. The conference aims to deliberate on ‘Role of PIO Parliamentarians in building bridges of friendship and understanding between India and their adopted countries’.

The event being organized by ARSP and PIO-CCI would bring together a large number of MPs and Mayors of Indian origin from different countries to deliberate on how cultural and the economic and business linkages could be developed. Exposure to this event would provide a unique opportunity for people to people interaction and to the Indian companies to project themselves on the global stage and create extremely useful business relationships in those countries which have large diaspora presence.

PROGRAMME

International Conference of PIO Parliamentarians

Building Bridges of Friendship and Understanding

10 th January, 2018 at Convention Hall, Hotel Ashoka, New Delhi

Organised by

Antar-Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad, Bharat (ARSP)

in association with

PIO Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PIOCCI)

09:00 Guests arrive at Ashoka Hotel
09:30 Guests to be seated before the arrival of Hon’ble

President of India

10:00 – 10:45 Inaugural Session
10:45 – 11:05 A brief presentation by UP Government on Trade &

Investment opportunities in Uttar Pradesh

Chair Dr. Rajni Sarin, Member of Managing

Committee, ARSP

Address by Hon’ble Shri Satish Mahan, Minister of
Industrial Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh
Address by Hon’ble Smt. Swati Singh, MOS for NRI
Affairs, Government of Uttar Pradesh
11:05 – 11:20 Tea Break
11:20 – 12:20 Parallel Session-I

(Role of PIO Parliamentarians in building bridges of
friendship and understanding)

Chair Hon’ble Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Ministry of
Science & Technology and Earth Sciences
Keynote address Hon’ble Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, MP
Comments by visiting PIO MPs/Mayors(3 to 4 minutes
for each speaker)
Parallel Session-II

(Socio cultural connect for strengthening people to people
relations)

Chair Hon’ble Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, MP &
President, ICCR
Keynote address Amb. Pavan K. Varma, former MP
Comments by visiting PIO MPs/Mayors (3 to 4 minutes
for each speaker)
12:20 – 13:20 Parallel Session-III

(Emerging opportunities in Trade and Economic
relations in the context of India’s economic rise)

Chair Hon’ble Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, Minister of

State for Finance

Keynote address Mr. Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD &
CEO of  Bombay Stock Exchange
Keynote address Hon’ble Shri R. K. Sinha, MP
Comments by visiting PIO MPs/Mayors (3 to 4 minutes
for each speaker)
Parallel Session-IV

(Engaging the Diaspora youth-the way forward)

Chair Dr. Krishna Gopal, Sah-Sarkaryavah, RSS
Keynote address Hon’ble Shri Anant Kr. Hegde,
Minister of State for Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship
Comments by visiting PIO MPs/Mayors (3 to 4 minutes
for each speaker)
13:20 – 13:45 Valedictory Session
Chair Amb. Virendra Gupta, President ARSP
Guest of Honour Shri Ram Madhav
Vote of Thanks Shri Shyam Parande,
Secretary General, ARSP
13:45 Lunch

Attendees

Name of the Country Name MP/Mayor
Canada Mr. Ramesh Sangha MP
Mr. Chandra Arya MP
Mr. Jati Sidhu MP
Mr. Bob Saroya MP
Mr. Deepak Obhrai MP
Dutch Territories in the Caribbean Mr. Sidharth M. Bijlani MP
Fiji Hon. Dr. Brij Lal MP
Hon. Alvick Avhikrit Maharaj MP
Hon. Ashneel Sudhakar MP
Hon. Mohammed Mursalinul Abe Dean MP
Hon Professor Biman Prasad MP
Hon. Prem Singh MP
Hon .Parmod Chand MP
Guyana Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo MP
Mr. Clement J. Rohee MP
Mr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali MP
Mr. Mohabir A. Nandlall MP
Dr. Frank C.S. Anthony MP
Mr. Dharam Kumar Seeraj MP
D. Vindhya V. Persaud , M.S. MP
Mrs. Indranie Chandarpal MP
Mr. Collin D. Croal MP
Dr. Bheri S. Ramsarran MP
Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha MP
Mr. Ganga Persaud MP
Mr. Neendkumar, J.P. MP
Dr. Vishwa D.B. Mahadeo MP
Mr. Nigal D Dharamlal MP
Mr. Bhagmattie Veerasammy MP
Mr. Viekram Qutar Bharat MP
Jamaica Ms. Lisa Rene MP
Mrs. Marlene Malahoo MP
Kenya Mr. Abdul Rahim Dawood MP
Dr. Swarup Ranjan Mishra MP
Madagascar Mr. Abdirassoul Mohamed Mourad MP
Martinique Mr. Serge Letchiny MP
Malaysia Senator S.T. Chandra Mohan MP
Dr. Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj MP
Mr. Ramkarpal Singh MP
Mauritius Mr. Vedasingam Vasudevachariar Baloomoody MP
Mr. Jayeshwur Raj Dayal MP
Mr. Sangeet Fowdar MP
Mr. Ahmad Bashir Jahangeer MP
Mr. Ezra Seewoosunkur Jhuboo MP
Mr. Gowkaran Oree MP
Ms. Malini Sewocksingh MP
Mr. Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem MP
Mr. Alan Ganoo MP
Mr. Sharvanand Ramkaun MP
Mr. Toolsyraj Benydin MP
His Worship Mr. Farad Dowlut Mayor
Her Worship Ms. Soulekha Jepaul-Raddhoa Mayor
NEW ZEALAND Ms. Priyanca Radhakrishnan MP
Mr.Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi MP
Dr. Parmjeet Parmar MP
Mr. K. Gurunathan, Mayor, Kapiti Coast District Mayor
Philippines Cristal Bagatsing MP
Portugal Ms. Nilza de Sena MP
Reunion Island Mr. Jean Hugeus Ratenon MP
Mr. Younous Omarjee MP
Seychelles (Victoria) Hon Wavel Ramkalawan MP
South Africa Mr. Aumsen (Omie) Singh MP
Mr. Narend Singh MP
Mrs Santosh Vinita Kalyan MP
Mr. Mohammed Haniff Hoosen MP
Mr. Mergan Chetty MP
Mr. Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam MP
Sri Lanka Hon. Mylvaganam Thilakarajah MP
Hon. Arunachalem Aravindh Kumar MP
Hon. Velu Kumar MP
Hon. Vadivel Suresh MP
Hon. Muthu Sivalingam MP
Switzerland Mr. Niklaus Samuel Gugger MP
Mr. Jean-Philippe Pinto Mayor
Suriname Drs. Djoties W. Jaggernath MP
Mr. Mahinderkoemar Jogi MP
Mr. Keshopersad Gangaram Panday MP
Mr. Jitendra Kalloe MP
Mrs.Krishnakoemarie Mathoera MP
Drs. Riad Nurmohamed MP
Mr. Chandrikapersad Santokhi MP
Drs. Dewanchandrebhose Sharma MP
Mr. Diepakkoemar Chitan MP
Tanzania Mr. Mansoor Shanif J. Hirani MP
Mr. Jitu V. Soni MP
Mr. Bhagwanji M. Meisuria MP
Mr. Suleiman Ahmed Saddiq MP
Mr. Ghulamhafeez Abu bakar Mukadam, Mayor of Shinyanga Mayor
Trinidad & Tobago Mr. Lackram Bodoe MP
Ms. Vidia Gopeesingh Gayadeen MP
Mr. Tim Gopeesingh MP
Mr. Rudranath Indarsingh MP
Mr. Barry Padarth MP
Mr. Surujrattan Rambachan MP
Mr. Ramona Ramdial MP
Mr. Ganga Singh MP
Mr. Boendradatt Tewarie MP
Mr. Rushton Paray MP
Mr. Gerald Ramdeen MP
Mr. Saddam Hosein MP
Ms. Sofia Chote MP
Ms. Melissa Ramkissoon MP
Mr. Taurel Shrikissoon MP
Mr. Daniel Dookie MP
Mr. Gopaul Boodhan Mayor
Mr. Glen Ram Mayor
Mr. Gowrie Roopnorine Mayor
Mr. Glenn Ramadharsingh Mayor
United Kingdom Rt. Hon. Keith Vaz MP
Mr. Virendra Sharma MP
Rt. Hon. Priti Patel MP
Lord Amirali Bhatia MP
Lord Navnit Dholakia MP
Lord Karan Billimoria MP
Lord Kamlesh Patel MP
Lord Diljit Singh Rana MP
Lord Dolar Popat MP
Baroness Usha Prashar MP
Lord Mohamed Sheikh MP
Baroness Sandip Verma MP
Lord Ajay Kakkar MP
Lord Raj Loomba MP
Lord Rambir Singh Suri MP
Shri Bhagwanbji Chauhan Mayor
U.S.A. Ms. Vini Elizabeth Samuel Mayor
Mr. Hemant Marathe Mayor