Toronto: The Canada India Foundation delegation that recently attended the latest installment of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas are back in Canada with renewed enthusiasm to devote their energies to taking the Canada India bilateral relationship to even newer heights.
The delegation consisted of prominent Indo-Canadians as well as Ontario’s Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Hon. Michael Tibollo. Tibollo joined the CIF Mission to India with a keen focus to learn more on the alternatives therapies and medicines available in India’s ancient health systems like Ayurveda and Yoga.
Having witnessed the huge challenges by mental illness and addictions among Ontarians, Tibollo wanted to study the time proven, effective and affordable options available in India.
Speaking on the experience of the CIF team that toured the country for two weeks, Satish Thakkar, Chair, CIF, noted: “Every time we go back to our motherland, it provides us with newer and better experiences. After visiting several important businesses, institutions, and cultural centres, we are convinced that India is on a fast track to becoming a developed economy in the near future. This gives not just citizens of India, but the whole world a positive direction as India can contribute to the world in ways that are as yet undiscovered.”
The CIF team left for Indore, Madhya Pradesh where the 2023 PBD took place making its presence felt when the government of India bestowed the honour of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, one of the highest honours given to an overseas citizen of India, on Dr. V.I. Lakshmanan, a past chair and founder member of the Canada India Foundation.
Team CIF also met S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India on the sidelines of PBD 2023 and discussed various initiatives taken for Indian diaspora. Minister also invited suggestions from the CIF team to get more engagement with the diaspora community to further strengthen India’s relations with Canada.
CIF team met with India’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Youth & Sports, Anurag Thakur where the Minister assured the delegation full support in CIF efforts to build a stronger Canada India relationship.
The CIF Chair suggested to the minister the inclusion of pre departure briefing sessions for the benefit of students headed to Canada for their higher education so that they are fully aware of the challenges and opportunities that await them in Canada.
Another important initiative discussed was an Online portal for aspiring students to inform them of not only the educational and regulatory environment but also on the cultural and social aspects of Canada.
The CIF team was accorded warm welcomes at several venues in Uttar Pradesh (UP) where the preparations were on to welcome the world of investors at the Invest UP Summit.
Chief Minister of UP Yogi Adityanath welcomed the CIF delegation and encouraged the members to look closely at investing in his state. Speaking at a pre-summit event, Thakkar, said: “When some of us moved out of India decades ago, it was a different India. Today, we see that India is on track to becoming the third largest economy in the world. It gives us great sense of pride when we see leaders like Yogi Adityanath setting ambitious goals like turning the $250 billion UP economy into a $1 trillion economy in five short years.”
The delegation members that met with Invest UP to discuss the opportunities included: Ritesh Malik, National Convener, CIF, Hon. Michael Tibollo, Minister of Mental health & Addictions, CIF board of Governor member Andy Jasuja, Kuldeep Sharma, and other member of the delegation Nick Ierfino.
The delegation ended its visit to India with a reception hosted by Canada’s High Commissioner to India, H.E. Cameron MacKay in New Delhi. MacKay thanked CIF for their contributions to strengthening the Canada India ties. He told the CIF members that Canada and India share so much in common and are on target to forge even closer bonds.