GOPIO convention to be held during January 5-6

New Delhi, Dec 29 (UNI) The Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) will hold a two-day Convention in the capital city from January 5, in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) during January 7-9.

The theme of the conference is "Overseas Indians -- Identity Preservation and Adoption of New Values in Pluralistic Societies." The GOPIO Community Service Awards would be presented at the Convention. This year's awardees are : Charan Gill, Canada, George Abraham, Singapore, Nevin P. Megchiani, Bahrain, Middle East, Wahid Saleh, The Netherlands.

The GOPIO Pravasi Community Service Awards are given annually to recognise and honour those NRIs and PIOs who have provided significant community and public service to the Indian diaspora around the globe and or to India, according to GOPIO President Inder Singh.

One of the sessions in the conference will discuss issues from different countries with significant PIO population. This will be followed by a media conclave with two sessions on "India and PIO Media Exchange and Deliberation" and "PIOs in Media: Their Perception of India and Indian Media, and, their role in the global perception of India and bridging Indians and PIOs." Put together by US based GOPIO Media Council Chairman Munish Gupta and RJR Ban Corp. CEO San jay Reddy, prominent speakers include former Prasar Bharati CEO K.S. Sarma, Indian Express Editor Shekhar Gupta, Radio Today CEO Anil Srivastava, Northeast Media Chairperson Manoranjan Sinh, S Mitra Kalia of Washington Post, former CNBC TV News producer Indira Somani (US), New York Post Columnist Raakhee Mirchandani, Indo-Asian News Service Chief Editor Tarun Basu, INEP Editor Nawab Khan (Belgium) and India Post Bureau Chief Vinod Dhawan.

The media conclave will be inaugurated by Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi. The chief guest will be Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

Based on the larger theme of the conference, different sessions will be held on "Indian Diaspora: Pluralism vs Assimilation," "The NRI-PIO divide : How to Bridge the gap," and "NRIs/PIOs and India - Developing People to People Relations." GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham said in a statement here today that the awards would be presented by Mr Vayalar Ravi at the valedictory function on January six. Meghalaya Governor M M Jacob, Dr. Karan Singh, MP, and former prime minister Inder K. Gujral would be inducted into GOPIO's Honor Roll for their services to GOPIO and overseas Indian communities in the last two decades.

UNI SH PK KN1634