India is committed to engage with the young Diaspora for its empowered global presence. Addressing the pre-inaugural session of the 9th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in New Delhi this morning, the minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Mr. Vayalar Ravi said, the government is all set to have an increased interaction with the global Indian youth for sustained development in various sectors.Lauding the role of education, the minister said that it was just because of the education what the Diaspora has achieved. Delivering the keynote address, the Human Resource Development, Telecom and Science and Technology minister Mr. Kapil sibbal asserted that India is the land of new opportunities post liberalisation in 1991.He said ,development goals could be achieved throughcollaborations and here the role of Diaspora becomes very important. Asking the diaspora to invest in India, Mr.Sibbal said,in the changed world economic order ,it is through the collaboration of mind that the joint goals could be achieved.The theme of this year’s event is ‘Engaging the Global Indian’. AIR correspondent reports, about 1,500 delegates from 51 countries are participating in the three-day annual convention for overseas Indians.With a special focus on the North-East, the event is being held in partnership with the Union ministry for development of the northeastern region, DONER, and the state governments of the eight northeastern states – Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. A special session focusing on the North East is being held today, besides a special plenary session ‘Investment opportunities in North Eastern Region’ tomorrow. There will also be a special discussion on successful Diaspora role models from the northeast. To emphasise the theme, a plenary session is also being organized the same day to find ways to link the young overseas Indian with the opportunities in changing India. The estimated population of the Indian Diaspora is 25 million, with significant pockets in the Gulf, South East Asia and the US. The Indian government has been organising Pravasi Bharatiya Divas since 2003 in the first week of January to coincide with Jan 9, the day when Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa.The event will be officially inaugurated tomorrow by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. New Zealand governor-general Anand Satyanand will be the chief guest. The participating delegates will also have an opportunity to interact with three senior members of the Indian cabinet – Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Roads and Highways Minister Kamal Nath. The annual C.K. Prahalad memorial lecture will be delivered on the subject of inclusive growth by Gautam Ahuja, chairperson, CorporateStrategy and International Business group, University of Michigan Business School. The President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will deliver the valedictory address on Sunday and confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards at the closing session.