Ministry of External Affairs begins nominations for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2025

The Ministry of External Affairs, India has begun the nomination process for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2025 as part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) to be held in early 2025.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is the highest honor conferred on overseas Indians.

PBSA is conferred by the President of India as a part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Conventions organized annually since 2003 on a Non-Resident Indian, Person of Indian Origin or an organization or institution established and run by the Non-Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin, who has made significant contribution in any one of the following fields

For Achievements Abroad:

• Better understanding abroad of India;
• Support to India’s causes and concerns in a tangible way;
• Building closer links between India, the overseas Indian community and their country of residence;
• Social and humanitarian causes in India or abroad;
• Welfare of the local Indian community;
• Philanthropic and charitable work;
• Eminence in one’s field or outstanding work, which has enhanced India’s prestige in the country of residence; or
• Eminence in skills which has enhanced India’s prestige in that country (for non-professional workers).

For Achievements within India:

• Philanthropic investments and charitable work in India;
• For contribution made towards India’s development.

There is also a system of self-nomination by Disapora members/organizations.  Such individuals/organizations who wish to self-nominate can send their competed nomination form directly by email to [email protected]

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is organized every two years, last one being in 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January every year since 2003 to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of India. January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion since it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, returned to India from South Africa, led India’s freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever. Since 2015, its format has been revised to celebrate the PBD once every two years and to hold theme-based PBD Conferences during the intervening period with participation from overseas diaspora experts, policy makers and stakeholders. These conventions provide a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the government and people of the land of their ancestors for mutually beneficial activities. These conventions are also very useful in networking among the overseas Indian community residing in various parts of the world and enable them to share their experiences in various fields.

You can view the list of previous awardees: Here

Various Indian Consulates abroad are also accepting the nominations for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2025.

For instance, this the call for nominations from the Consulate General of India in Chicago: Click here

We recommend you to check with your local consulates.