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KEY SPEAKER: These days a Joint Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs, Malay Mishra (centre) can be credited for giving a much needed momentum to the conference. Until last year, Mishra was Joint Secretary (Diaspora Services Division) with the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, New Delhi. To his left is Mohan K. Gautam from the University of Leiden, Netherlands, a well known speaker at Indian diaspora conferences all over the world |
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Gujarat Calling |
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An international conference branded "Global Gujarat and its Diaspora" was held at the UGC Area Study Centre for Indian Diaspora and Cultural Studies, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan in partnership with the NRG Foundation, Government of Gujarat. Apart from an interesting mix from among the Gujarati diaspora, it drew distinguished members from different walks to enliven proceedings at the conference. The man behind the impressive show was Professor Adesh Pal, Coordinator at the University |
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KEEN AUDIENCE: Kavita Sharma, principal of Delhi's famous Hindu College (left), makes an observation during one of the sessions as P.K. Gera (right), Chairman and Secretary, NRI Division, Gujarat looks on |
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| Joint Secretary, MEA, Malay Mishra, Editor Sayantan Chakravarty, K K Shah, Vice Chancellor, HNG University, J C Sharma, former member secretary, High Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora, and Adesh Pal, coordinator at HNG University |
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| A pleasant evening it was when guests were dined outdoors at the venue Saffrony Motel |
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"From the traders in Tanzania to the entrepreneurs in Kenya, to the doctors and motel owners in United States, professionals, academics and policy makers in Europe, diamond workers in Belgium and construction workers in Seychelles, there is no country or region which does not have an overseas Gujarati. This also explains the transnational spread of the ubiquitous Gujarati. Perhaps the most enterprising and dynamic, yet the most culturally resilient and emotionally connected among all Indian diasporas, Gujaratis have been among the earliest Indians to steam out of Indian shores in different directions, to explore new continents, flying the flag of enterprise and trade."
—Malay Mishra |
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| Indo-Fijian film-maker Satish Rai based in Sydney shoots the proceedings |
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March 2008
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