India: PM’s Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians meets

13:55 IST
Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh presided over the first meeting of the Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians here yesterday evening. The External Affairs Minister, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and senior officials also participated in the discussions.

The Council of Overseas Indians has been set up to draw upon the experience and knowledge of eminent people of Indian origin in diverse fields from across the world.

The Council meeting was attended by eminent Overseas Indians including: Prof. Jagdish Bhagwati, Shri. Karan F. Bilimoria, Shri Swadesh Chatterjee, Ms. Ela Gandhi, Shri Rajat K. Gupta, Lord Khalid Hameed, Dr. Renu Khator, Shri Kishore Mahbubani, Shri PNC Menon, Shri L.N. Mittal, Lord Bhiku Chotalal Parekh, Dr. Sam Pitroda, Tan Sri Dato’ Ajit Singh, Mr. Neville Joseph Roach, Prof. Srinivasa SR Varadhan and Mr. Yusuffali M.A.

The Members of the Council appreciated the initiative of Prime Minister for setting up the Council, and providing a platform for overseas Indian community to share their experience and knowledge for the socio-economic development of India. Members were of the unanimous view that India and its overseas community can and should build a strong, strategic and mutually beneficial partnership. Members shared their views on various aspects such as contributing to social and philanthropic work, education and skill development, collaborating work with the academic and scientific community, developing institutions of excellence, facilitating investments into India, and initiatives for facilitating young overseas Indians to rediscover their roots.

Prime Minister welcomed the ideas and suggestions made by Members of the Council. He said that never before Government of India had brought together on one platform such an exceptional group of eminence and achievements as the Members of the Global Advisory Council. Prime Minister observed that he was confident that India would return to sustained high growth path of 9-10 percent in the coming years. Prime Minister said that the Government would give most careful consideration to all the suggestions made by the Council members, and that he looked forward to sustained dialogue with the Members of the Global Advisory Council in opening new avenues of cooperation between the overseas Indian community and India.