Honorary Consul of India Bhav Dhillon had joined the elite company of eminent New Zealanders of Indian origin such as Rt. Honourable Sir Anand Satyanand, the former Governor General of New Zealand, Sukhi Turner (Mayor of Dunedin), Judge Ajit Swaran Singh (Manukau District Court Judge), and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi (Member of Parliament) – to be honoured with the Indian government’s highest Indian diaspora award – Pravasi Bharatiya Samman.
Mr Dhillon received the award from the President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday, January 23 – the final day of the three-day biennial diaspora conclave of India (Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas) – in a state ceremony at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
"Getting Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award is a tremendous honour and privilege.
“It is one of the highest honours a member of the Indian Diaspora can receive and I am humbled and grateful to have been given this award," Mr Dhillon said.
Bhav Dhillon receiving Pravasi Bhartiya Samman from President of India Honourable Ram Nath Kovind at PBD 2019 in Varanasi, India (IWK Image)
Mr Dhillon had received the award in the category of excellence in business and services to the Indian diaspora.
Since 2003 the Government of India had been celebrating an annual (now biennial) get-together in New Delhi – Pravasi Bhartiya Divas – to re-connect with the overseas Indian community and to mark their contribution towards the development of India.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman was simultaneously constituted to honour exceptional and meritorious contribution members of the Indian diaspora in their chosen field/profession.
Services to the Indian diaspora
Expressing exhilaration on receiving this prestigious award Mr Dhillon said, "I have had the pleasure of working closely with so many members of the diaspora here in New Zealand and with both the governments over a number of years. The relationship between our two great countries is getting stronger each day as we trade more and share more cultural ties.
“It is an absolute privilege to be able to work to bring together our two great nations and help members of the Indian diaspora in every possible manner,” Mr Dhillon said.
From Left- Judge Ajit Singh Swaran, District Court Manukau and previous recipient of Pravasi Bhartiya Samman with his wife and Bhav Dhillon at PBD 2019 in Varanasi, India.
“Receiving this honour from the highest level of the Government of India brings an added responsibility on what we do in serving our communities.
“I strive to continue to work, and help as much possible, our fellow diasporic communities,” Mr Dhillon further added cautiously.
Excellence in Business
For the uninitiated, Mr Dhillon is a successful businessman with stakes in the construction and manufacturing businesses in the country. He is the managing director of CEMIX – the iconic Kiwi brand – that has been in New Zealand for over three decades, and is a market leader in manufacturing and innovation of construction products, with a nationwide presence. Cemix has been part of the Deloitte Fast50 in 2011 and a finalist in the Green Ribbon Awards.
He has been passionately involved in the India-NZ relationship and is on the Board of India NZ Business Council (INZBC) and its Treasurer. He has twice accompanied the New Zealand Prime Minister on trips to India.
From Left- National List MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Indian Union Minister of State for External Affairs Gen (Retd) V K Singh and Bhav Dhillon at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2019 in Varanasi, India
Mr Dhillon first lived in Singapore before moving to New Zealand and building construction business and travels extensively to India every year to remain connected with his roots.
Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas grows in size
Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas is the biggest diaspora engagement event held biennially by the government of India to connect with its 31-million-strong diaspora from all around the world.
Traditionally the event was held on January 9 – the date to mark the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa and starting a non-violent freedom struggle against the British colonial rule. However, this year the government changed the schedule to give an opportunity to global Indian diaspora to simultaneously attend two other major cultural celebrations of India – Kumbh Mela and Republic Day.
Pravasiya Bhartiya Samman 2019 Medal
Kumbh Mela –- one of the significant symbols of the Indian culture – holds the enviable recognition of being the most significant peaceful assembly of spiritual and religious followers of Hinduism bringing together around 150 million people over the period of festival spanning over a month. It is the largest congregation of humanity in a single place ever.
Republic day is undoubtedly the biggest non-religious event of the Indian national calendar signifying India’s complete independence from all sorts of affiliation to foreign rule and celebrated through a magnificent display of India’s military power – considered vital for the maintenance of India’s independence and a display of its great cultural diversity.
The change of schedule had the desired impact on the size and magnitude of the event bringing home at least ten times more global delegates than in previous years.