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GOPIO NEWS
SPECIAL BULLETIN
October 15, 2018
A Publication of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO)
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| Issue: XVI-8 | October 15, 2018 | |
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NOTE: GOPIO News is a FREE bi-monthly newsletter of GOPIO International, based in the USA. We need your help in reaching out more NRIs/PIOs around the world. Please go to the bottom of the news bulletin and click the FORWARD button and type e-mail addresses of your friends and relatives. One could also subscribe this newsletter by visiting www.gopio.net and type in the e-mail address. All preivous issues of GOPIO News are provided at GOPIO News Archives. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter in future, please click SafeUnsubscribe at the end of this newsletter.
GOPIO is a community supported non-profit organization taking up issues of the Indian Diaspora and attempting to unifying the community in its common causes. Support GOPIO by becoming a Life Member or chapter member. Once can become Life Member online by visiting http://www.gopio.net/online_membership.html.
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| MEA MINISTER SUSHMA SWARAJ AND UP CHIEF MINISTER YOGI ADITYANATH TO ATTEND GOPIO CONVENTION BEING HELD PRIOR TO PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS ON JAN. 19TH AND 20TH IN VARANASI | |
GOPIO officials called on India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj during her trip to New York and discussed many community issues as well as the upcoming Paravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held in Varanasi.
Photo: GOPIO delegation meeting with Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Sept. 23rd in New York; From l. to r.: GOPIO Intl. Coordinator-at-Large Dr. Asha Samant, Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty, GOPIO Gold Life Member and Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media Dr. Sudhir Parikh, GOPIO Vice President Ram Gadhavi, Minister Swaraj, GOPIO Chapter Validation Committee Chair Dinesh Mittal, GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, GOPIO Secretary Dr. Rajeev Mehta, GOPIO Intl Coordinator-at-Large Lal Motwani, GOPIO-CT President Anita Bhat and TV Asia News Anchor Rohit Vyas (Photo: Indian Consulate Twitter)
GOPIO will have its General Body Meeting and Convention Inauguration on January 19th and a full day conference on Jan. 20th. More details will follow in the coming issues of GOPIO News. Minister Swaraj accepted GOPIO invitation to be the chief guest at the Valedictory Session and Awards Banquet on Jan. 20th evening.
GOPIO President Sunny Kulathakal and GOPIO's Liaison with Govt. of India Sunil Rawla visited Varanasi and Lucknow and met government officials. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has accepted GOPIO's invitation to inaugurate GOPIO Convention on January 29th. Other dignitaries accepting GOPIO invitations are: Central Minister of State for Tourism Alphons Kannanthanam and Uttar Pradesh Minister of Tourism Smt. Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
Detailed conference program is being worked out. The following topics as Conference sessions are being considered now:
Plenary Session I - India in Two Decades and Utilizing NRI/PIO Resources for India
Session II - Opportunities for Tourism Development, Business and Investment in India and UP
Session III - Political Involvement of Diaspora Indians
Session IV - Powering Global Indian Enterprises
Session V - "Empowering Indian and Diaspora Women" or "Health and Wellness Issues of Diaspora Indians"
Session VI - India: The Healthcare Destination - Challenges & Opportunities
Session VII - Rehabilitation of Returning NRIs
Session VIII - Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Start-Up India
Session IX - Frankofone Session
Session X - Concluding Session and Resolutions
Suggestions are invited for other session topics which are relevant. The program committee may substitute one session to a more appropriate session. One can actively participate in a session as a panelist or resource person.
Contact: Conference Committee Chairperson Dr. Asha Samant, E-mail: ashasamant42@gmail.com
More information on the upcoming GOPIO Convention will be provided in the coming issues.
Contact: Convention Chairman and GOPIO President Sunny Kulathakal at kulathakal44@gmail.com, Tel: in Bahrain + 973 39441956; in India +91 9845756692
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| MEA AND UP GOVT. GETTING READY TO HOST PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS 2019 |
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PBD2017), JAN 7-9, 2017
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will organize the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) from January 21-23, 2019 in Varanasi, UP, India. Speaking at the launch of the official website for the event here, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that in addition to attending the three-day PBD in Varanasi, the participants will also be taken to Allahabad where the Kumbh Mela will be going on, and then brought to New Delhi for the Republic Day celebrations.
It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22nd. The President of India Ram Nath Kovind will deliver the valedictory address on January 23rd and also confer the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Awards. The pre-conference seminars will also be organized on January 21st followed by plenary and panel sessions beginning on January 22nd.
PBD has become a significant forum to connect the overseas Indians from all over the world and the PBD-2019 will be focusing on more connectivity with overseas Indians with a theme "Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India."
Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth will be the Chief Guest of the Convention. Member of Parliament of Norway Himanshu Gulati will be the Special Guest and Member of Parliament of New Zealand Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi will be the Guest of Honor at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention a flagship event of the Indian Government, provides an important platform to engage and connect with the overseas Diaspora.
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REGISTER FOR PBD 2019 UNDER THE CATEGORY OF GOPIO WITH SPECIAL DISCOUNTS
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To register for PBD, visit:https://pbdindia.gov.in/en. Click Register Now and then Group Registration. GOPIO members can register for PBD 2019 with 35% discounts as follows.
One day Registration $150 (with 35% discount $97.5 + $7 PayPal Com'n = $104.50)
Two days Registration $200 (with 35% discount $130 + $7 PayPal Com'n = $137.00)
Three days registration $250 (with 35% discount $162.5 + $7 PayPal Com'n = $169.50)
The discount for GOPIO is based on having 51-100 registrants. Once we reach the number to 101 registrants the discount rate will jump to 50%. If we reach above 100 registrations, we will refund additional registration fee collected to the registrants.
After one completes the registration, make the payment to GOPIO using a credit card through PayPal link below:
Payments Using PayPal
Choose: Make online payment
Select option:Pay for items or services quickly and securely
GOPIO Email:gopiofunds@gmail.com
Amount Currency: USD
People in USA can send check and save the commission. However, they have option of ease of payment through PayPal using credit card and pay the commission or send a check to the following address:
Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), 11433 Arlee Ave., Norwalk, CA 90650
Once a person registers under GOPIO group, GOPIO will be notified with registration number and amount that person owes. When making the payment through PayPal or check they must include the name and registration number they are given at the time of registration. There is also a link at the bottom "Where to Stay" that registrants can click to book the hotels. You would need the registration number for the same.
Questions and Answers by PBD Secretariat:
- How can GOPIO members register for PBD?
Every GOPIO member has to register himself/herself under the GOPIO group.
- In each registration form, an email id is needed. If there are two family members (husband and wife) and both use same email, how can one bypass this?
Only one participant can register under one email Id. If there are two people, like in case of husband and wife, they have to register through two different email Ids.
- On the registration form there are three choices, Indian National, NRI, PIO. What category OCI card holders fall?
The OCI card holder can register under the PIO category.
- Is there a code or number to use for hotel booking during PBD days? Please advise how to proceed. Is registration number must for hotel booking?
Yes, for every registration, a Registration Id is generated. Please use that registration Id to book your hotels for the PBD to receive discounted rates that the PBD Secretariat negotiated with these hotels. Click on "Where to Stay" link to go to Hotel info.
Contact: Kewal Kanda, Treasurer: GOPIO-Int'l, Norwalk, California, USA, Tel: +1 562-897-6976, E-mail: kewalkanda@yahoo.com
Ankita Mittal US (OIA-II), PBD Secretariat, New Delhi, Indi, Tel: +91- 011-24197111 and 011-24197996 (9 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays) or contact e-mail at a.mittal13@mea.gov.in or PBD Secretariat supportpbd@mea.gov.in
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| GOPIO LIFE MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTER FORMATION | |
GOPIO is a non-partisan, non-sectarian global organization with chapters in several countries, actively promoting the interests of people of Indian origin worldwide by monitoring and addressing current critical issues of concern, and by enhancing cooperation and communication between groups of Indians living in various countries.
GOPIO Individual Life membership is open to all who believe in the mission of GOPIO. The one- time fee is $5,000 for Platinum Life Membership, $2,500 for Gold Life Membership and $1,500 Silver Life Membership and 2/3rdthe amount for each category for those from developing countries and India.
GOPIO is looking forward to opening chapters in all major cities of the world, so as to network with people of Indian origin all over the world. If you do not have a chapter in your city, please visit the GOPIO website (www.gopio.net) and get details of chapter initiation (visit http://www.gopio.net/chapter_initiative.htm). This process involves sending a letter of intent to start a chapter by a committee of five people or more. For more information, contact:
GOPIO Chairman - Dr. Thomas Abraham, Stamford, Connecticut, USA, Tel: +1-203-329-8010, E-mail: gopio@optonline.net
GOPIO President - Sunny Kulathakal, Bahrain, +973-39441956, India +91-9845756692, E-mail: kulathakal44@gmail.com
GOPIO Vice President - Ram Gadhavi, Wayne, New Jersey, USA, Tel: +1-973-699-8582, E-mail: ram@gadhavi.net
GOPIO's Global Ambassador - Issac John, Dubai, UAE, +971-50 625 9941, E-mail: isacjohn@gmail.com
GOPIO Secretary - Dr. Rajeev Mehta, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, Tel: +1-732-986-2584, rajimehta@hotmail.com
Executive Trustee of GOPIO Foundation - Inder Singh, Tarzana, California, USA, Tel: +1-818-708-3885, E-mail: indersinghusa@gmail.com
GICC Chairman - Niraj Baxi, San Jose, California, USA, Tel: 408-307-9845, E-mail: nbaxi@insuranceplanning.com
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| EDITORIAL BOARD | |
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Chief Editor: Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman, GOPIO International (Stamford, CT, USA)
Editor: J. Nami Kaur, Media Council Chair, GOPIO International (New York, USA)
Associate Editors: Layla Matthew (Bangalore, India), Harry Walia (Australia), Marlan Padayachee (South Africa)
Webmasters: Abu Thomas (Ardsley, New York, USA)
Contributors of this issue: Sunny Kulathakal, President, GOPIO International (Bahrain); Kewal Kanda, Treasurer, GOPIO International (Norwalk, California, USA)
GOPIO NEWS welcomes NRI/PIO related stories from all over the world. Be a volunteer correspondent or reporter.
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