Vayalar Ravi to visit Pacific

New Delhi, Oct 13 (UNI) Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the Pacific region will celebrate Diwali this year with Overseas Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi.

Mr Ravi is leaving on Sunday on a nine-day tour of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, coinciding with Diwali celebrations, the Overseas Affairs Ministry said.

The visit, which is part of the Ministry's mandate to interact with Indians working abroad, will help formulate a comprehensive policy toward the Indian diaspora, officials said.

Mr Ravi will first participate in a Diwali function in Sydney, Australia organised by the United India Associations there followed by another in capital Canberra, the officials said.

Meetings with the Australia-India Business Council, Australian Minister for Education, Science and Training, Julie Bishop and Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone are among the itinerary.

In Fiji, he will inaugurate a roundtable on India at the University of Fiji and attended a civic reception in his honour by former Rrime Minister Mahendra Chaudhury.

He will meet Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Vice President Ratu Joni Maraiwiwi and Opposition leader Mick Beddoes besides visiting Indian Community Centres, the Ministry said.

In New Zealand, Mr Ravi will meet Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter and attend Indian community functions at the Gandhi Bhavan in Auckland. The visit also includes a stop-over in Wellington, where a troupe of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations will stage a performance coinciding with the visit.

Australia and New Zealand have witnessed large-scale movement of Indian professionals, students, academics and business people since 1990s while about 45 per cent of the population of Fiji is that of people of Indian origin.

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