External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday  jointly announced that the 15th ‘Pravasi Bhartiya Divas’ will be held in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi  from January 21-23 and launched a dedicated website for the event.

The participants would also  get an opportunity for 'Ardh Kumbh Mela Snan' in Allahabad and attend the Republic Day parade in the National Capital, almost  coinciding with  the assembly of Non-Resident Indians in Varanasi.

 The ambitious  event  organized by the government  for the  Indian diaspora  is being projected  as the first of its kind as the invitees  will witness the cultural heritage of Varanasi and of Allahabad during the ‘Ardh Kumbh Mela.’

The theme of PBD 2019 is the “Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India”.

 Arrangements for the ‘Kumbh Snan’ (holy bath) will be made at the  Allahabad ‘Sangam’  (where three rivers join each other) for the participants. ( 'Ard Kumbh' is held every six years and currently the budget preparation is pegged at and estimated Rs 4200 crore.)

 Those interested in participating in the  PBD can register on the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas website till November 15.

 On the last day of event on January 23, President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards.

 Talking to reporters here, Swaraj said Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is held on January 9 every year, but the next edition of the event has been postponed by a few days after Indian diaspora expressed interest in attending the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad and Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.

 So this event will be held around the dates of the Kumb Mela and the Republic Day parade. Swaraj said she will interact with four Indian missions to mark PBD on January 9. The main event will be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22.

 “After the PBD convention, participants will be taken to Kumbh Mela by bus on January 24. Then, participants will travel from Prayagraj (Allahabad) to Delhi by train on the same day. The railways will run special Pravasi Bharti train for them,” she said. The external affairs minister also said Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth will be chief guest for the January 22 main event while Norway leader Himanshu Gulati and New Zealand MP Charanjit Singh Bakshi will be special guests at the PBD event to be held on January 21.

 The event is jointly being held by the Uttar Pradesh government and the Ministry of External Affairs.

Adityanath said his government is making arrangements to showcase the “Athithi Devo Bhava” culture of the holy city of Varanasi.  He said it was a good opportunity for the state to showcase its culture before the world. “We will also make arrangements for Indian diaspora to witness culture of various fields of the country at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas,” he said.

The chief minister also remembered former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away last month, saying there were also several things associated with Vajpayee in Varanasi.