Time for Indians to lead world the India way: Union Minister Anurag Thakur

Indore, Jan 08: Time has come for Indians to lead the world the 'India way', said Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday.

Speaking at the Youth Pravasi Bhartiya Divas at Indore on Sunday, the Union minister for Youth Affairs and Sports said, "When we talk about the future, we talk about ABC -- A for Artificial Intelligence, B for Blockchain, and C for Cloud Computing. In the 21st century, new technologies will open up new and futuristic avenues of work. I think it's time for India and our ideas to lead the world the India way," Thakur said.

According to Thakur, 'ideas' are essentially born out of people, across communities, coming together and contributing to the country's growth.

"While talking about brain drain, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also talked about brain gain from 1.4 bn Indians. While interacting with fellow Indians, who have arrived from across the world, we were talking about exchanging ideas and ways to work together and contribute to India's growth," the minister said.

Later, he said the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is an "opportunity to build bonds of friendship". "The Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) is another opportunity to build bonds of friendship, mentorship and camaraderie that are forged when we directly interact with and learn from our diaspora towards a shared future," he tweeted. "I am happy to state that the Modi government has changed the approach & attitude towards our diaspora. The honour & respect that our diaspora deserve is reflected through numerous initiatives & the importance we give towards ensuring engagements during our official visits," Thakur tweeted.

Calling the PBD a "moment to re-imagine new possibilities", he said it is a platform to develop new ideas. "PBD is as much about your story and the story of rising India! It is a moment to reconnect and re-imagine new possibilities! And it is a network to drive change, discover new ties, and develop new ideas!" he tweeted.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the identity of a diaspora is very much derived from how closely it is connected to its roots and India's efforts have been to encourage easier exposure to its culture and traditions. Addressing the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) programme in Indore as part of the three-day PBD convention, Jaishankar said India has the largest diaspora in the world and many are most talented.

"So what is perhaps unique about us is the intensity of the bonding between the community abroad and the motherland. And that is a two-way strait that is promoted particularly by activities like PBD," he said. Jaishankar also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the diaspora on a previous occasion where the latter had said "hamara to khoon ka rishta hai, passport ka nahi" (we have a blood relation and not that of passport), PTI reported.