The students of The Indian High Group of Schools attend the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Indore

‘The taller a tree, the deeper its roots,’- such is the grandeur of ‘Mera Bharat'. And reconnecting to the roots was a dream come true for the 55 student delegates and 4 teachers of The Indian High Group of Schools, who savoured the opportunity of attending the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) at Indore, India, in collaboration with the Indian Consulate, Dubai, from 8th to 10th January 2023.

This year the theme for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023 was “Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal”. For the first time in PBD, the students were included under the youth conclave where they enjoyed the hospitality of the Madhya Pradesh tourism. Our school was personally welcomed by Indore Mayor Mr. Pushyamitra Bhargav, whose benevolent gesture of gifting specially designed Chanderi silk scarves to each student, was remarkable. Under the guidelines of the External Ministry, our students had the benefit of availing themselves of every opportunity to learn and grow, such as traditional ceremonies, free yoga sessions, and other productive events.

The enlightening and insightful interactions with Mr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs; Union Minister, Mr. Mansukh Mandaviya; Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India; and Mr. V. Muraleedharan; Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, are indelible souvenirs that will forever stay etched in the young minds. Our students were invited along with the NRIs of different countries by the Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chauhan, for a plantation ceremony at Global Garden, as a permanent memory of PBD.

The students at The Indian High Group of Schools had the pleasure of meeting the former as well as the present Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awardees of 2023-the highest honour bestowed on non-resident Indians and overseas citizens of India. The opportunity to interact with the honorees of this accolade was indeed motivating and invigorating for the students to work harder and achieve success in a variety of disciplines.

Mr. Punit MK Vasu, the CEO of The Indian High Group of Schools, was invited to meet with dignitaries including the External Affairs Minister Mr. S. Jaishankar, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Panama's Foreign Minister Janaina Tewaney Mencomo, former Consul General of India in Dubai, Mr. Vipul as well as state and union ministers, business executives, and Mr. Amit Lath, a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award.

The icing on the cake, undeniably, was watching the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi who urged the Pravasi Bharatiya to support India’s distinctive global perspective and its significant position within the international system on PBD.

The captivating experience of reconnecting with one's roots and the enormous responsibility of serving as the future brand ambassadors of India, were overwhelming for the students who were filled with a sense of pride and a feeling of patriotic fervour.

We hope and wish they remain steadfast in their goals and bring glory to the school and country.

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