Overseas Indians to discuss country's growth

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, steel magnate L N Mittal and Pepsi chief Indra Nooyi are among global leaders of Indian origin who will meet in New Delhi during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas next month to suggest the government on improving the country's economic growth.

Overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi said on Wednesday investment promotion, sharing of knowledge and property issues relating to the expatriates will be among the main themes of the three-day meet to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 8.

President Pratibha Patil will deliver the valedictory address on January 9.

Ravi said the Prime Minister's Global Advisory Council, comprising 20 top global business leaders and economists of Indian origin will meet for the first time during the event to advise the Government on key socio-economic developmental issues.

The council was appointed earlier this year. Other prominent personalities on the Council are Jagdish Bhagwati, Karan F Bilimoria, Rajat Gupta, Ela Gandhi, Lord Khalid Hameed, C K Prahlad, Vikram Pandit, Sam Pitroda, Srinivasa S R Vardhan and Yusuf Alio.

The eighth edition of the flagship event of the ministry of overseas Indian affairs has been structured differently this time with a view to providing delegates maximum opportunity to interact with Union ministers so that problems faced by the expatriates could be resolved.