New Delhi [India], November 13 : The 19th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) will be held in Kolkata from January 7 to 9, 2027, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, noting that both the Prime Minister and the President are scheduled to participate in the event.
"The 19th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) will be held in Kolkata from January 7 to 9, 2027. Leading up to this, there will be several other programs... The Prime Minister will participate on one of the main days, and on the third day, January 9, the President will attend to participate in the valedictory session, as is customary. Detailed information regarding the various programs can be found on the official Pravasi Bharatiya Divas website," Jaiswal said.
Highlighting key additions to the upcoming convention, the MEA Spokesperson announced the introduction of the 'Girmitiya Games' alongside initiatives focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the empowerment of women.
"This year, a new initiative—the 'Girmitiya Games'—is being introduced. There are several other initiatives as well, covering areas such as entrepreneurship, innovation, and the empowerment of women; we will share more details about these with you," he said.
Addressing questions on expected attendance, Jaiswal stated that exact numbers cannot be shared yet as the registration process is still underway, though global participation is anticipated.
"As for the number of attendees, I cannot provide a specific figure at this time, as the registration process is currently underway. However, we expect people to arrive from every corner of the globe, and, as in previous years, this edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention will be celebrated with great vigor," Jaiswal added.
Separately, responding to a query regarding the 'Nashik Mela', he said, "Regarding the 'Nashik Mela' you mentioned, I do not have information on that at the moment, but I will provide you with further details later."