Biennial Conference of PIOCCI on the eve of the 16th PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIWAS at Varanasi on 20th January 2019
PIOCCI Conference on 20th Jan 2019 in Varanasi
Catalytic Role of PIOCCI - Global Reach of Indian Diaspora"
COMMENTARY ON THE INAUGURAL SESSION
The day started with Mr. Sanjay Ganjoo, Vice President, PIOCCI welcoming the guests and dignitaries. He noted that due to the normal winter haze and fog several fights and trains were getting delayed and some guests would be getting late due to that. The ceremonial lamp was lighted by Mr. Anna Saheb M. K. Patil, former minister, Urban Development and was accompanied on the occasion by Mr. Manjit Rajain, Group Chairman, Tenon Group, Mr. Mahendra Utchana, former Minister, Mauritius government, Mr. Raj Kumar Bhatia, Profession of Delhi University.
Mr. Atul Kulkarni, Working President, PIOCCI, a shipping expert and consultant to the Government of India also welcomed the dignitaries and the guests. He appreciated that the PIOCCI was holding its conference on pertinent issues and according to the demand of the times. It was connecting to the Diaspora, and was providing the platform to the Diaspora to connect within itself. He reiterated that the Indian Diaspora is the largest Diaspora group in
the world spreading its wing from extreme East to West and North to the South, to all continents and to islands in the all oceans of the world. The PIOCCI has defined its primary focus on six services which are normally of concerns to people engaged in cross border investments. PIOCCI acknowledges the importance and gets in touch with the people around the world to facilitate these services, especially where any Diaspora member wanted to come to India for investment, PIOCCI was committed to do the hand holding to smoothen his path to accomplishment of goals. He said that India recognized that the Diaspora had the expertise, knowledge and technology which can ensure the realization of dream for India which every one of Indian descent does cherish. The skill development schemes, the scheme of encouraging technology transfer, the services sector, energy including renewable energy. While Indian origin people were present in every sphere of the world, the time has come when India has to get connected to all its Diaspora, share the economic progress with them and let them become part of the economic progress of the
country of their origin.
Major Manjit Rajain, Group Chairman, Tenon Group was the noted speaker of the day. Major Rajain, a former Indian Army Officer and also a Police Officer rose from the ranks to become an international entrepreneur. He is the Executive Chairman of the Tennon Group. He said that as a globetrotting person due to his international expanse of business, he was happy to witness the sharp change in perception of India and Indians in the recent past in the mind of the people across the world. India was achieving sustained satisfactory rate of growth year after year. Though statistically speaking, China was showing a greater rate of growth but since it was a closed economy, nobody could actually tell the fact. India, as a democratic country, was much open and also has the advantage with it of a growing working population. The world was inclined to engage with India and there was no better way of this engagement except engaging this growing working population, and in that direction, large number of Indians were leaving for offshore opportunities across the world. Indian Diaspora, including the first generation shifts, were the best suited for bringing this connection between the world and the Indian youth. He also said that Indian companies have unlimited possibilities in the world given their background of ethics and perseverance and he could say this based on his own experience of taking his company from a Rs. 65 crore company to a Rs. 2,000 crore company in a decade of 2008 to 2018.
The Gathering was addressed by Hon Minister of Government of Uttar Pradesh, Sh. Satish Mahana and host of other dignitaries who spoke on the potential of the Indain Diaspora in the Global Economy. They also argued for increasing one to one relationship and confidence building of Indian and Indian origin people.
