Over the last 20 years, GOPIO has created global awareness of PIOs and further, awakening major institutions and government’s consciousness of the People of Indian Origin (PIOs).
Years of intense lobbying by GOPIO during the early years and through the first decade, has proved to be successful in bringing about many changes for the betterment of the PIO Diaspora and especially in their relationship with India.
Some of the key milestones achieved by GOPIO are listed here.
The PIO Diaspora is slowly but surely rising as a collective world community. The dynamics of globalization is a major cause for this new thinking for a global grouping among the people of Indian Origin or PIOs. This global grouping is a relatively new thinking, despite the efforts for networking among the PIOs being a little more then a decade old now.
The vision of GOPIO (Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin) is to bond the PIOs as a global community. GOPIO is non-political and non-political and non-sectarian by design and the emphasis is on social, economic and cultural cooperation and exchange. The diversity within the PIO community is immensely varied, and this diversity is also our strength.
The globalization has brought in several additional international players in global governance. International civil societies have made strong headway. Diasporas' networks are the most powerful ones in this category and GOPIO's transition into a global PIO Movement will pave the path for a more equitable and harmonious world.
PIO World Capital - Mauritius
The proclamation of Mauritius as the PIO Capital for the People of Indian Origin was made on the 5th December 2003 at the 7th GOPIO International Convention in Mauritius.
This is an important milestone in the networking of the global PIO communities for the virtual PIO Diaspora Nation.
These are times of new ideas,new creations and new concepts. Once such concept is Capital Nations. Diaspora's tend to adopt or minimum tag a country as their Capital Nation for their globally spread people. Capital nation is different from their Mother country. By identifying a country, as their Capital nation, their Diaspora concentrates in one Capital Nation their institutions and their facilitating international Secretariat's logistics and infrastructures.
Possibly Singapore is a adopted by the Overseas Chinese Diaspora and Malaysia is a like destination for the Malay Diaspora.The PIO Diaspora had identified Mauritius as the PIO Capital Nation.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) or Celebration for Overseas Indians is held annually for 3 days ending on 9th January and is to engage the People of Indian Origins {PIO) and Non Resident Indians (NRI) with the Government of India. The day commemorates of the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi in India from South Africa.
PBD objectives are to provide meaningful and interactive events that would address issues and concerns of the overseas Indian Community. PIOs have emerged as import and constituents of their adopted countries and they have contributed to transforming the economies, participating in political process and added value to thought and innovations of their respective countries.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or PBD is a positive response by the government of India as a result of countless requests and proposals.
The "PIOs Dialogue with India" is an annual series of deliberations, engaging India positively to exchange studied views and proposals. This is organised synergetically on the next day of PBD of Government of India.
GOPIO International organizes annually the PIOs Dialogue with India conference immediately following the PBD. This conference is held in conjunction with PBD to further enhance PIOs engagement with India
MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
There was a need for an establishment of a separate Ministry to oversee the affairs of the PIOs. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) today, was initiated during the administration of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM of India and is now an important feature of Government of India.
BUSINESS & NETWORKING
GOPIO Business Conference. A major objective of GOPIO Is to mobilize financial, intellectual, and professional resources of PIOs for mutual development and advancement. Numerous Gopio business conferences have brought together PIO entrepreneurs of various countries to network for their mutual business growth. GOPIO has facilitated some major Initiatives benefiting upcoming PIO entrepreneurs.
The steady growth of businessmen in Malaysia engineered GOPIO Malaysia to initiate business tie-ups between the Indian Diaspora around the world and Malaysian businessmen. GOPIO undertook the pioneering work of organizing these international business conferences and events. Subsequently, International Business conferences we're held in Malaysia since 1991 and the High Commission of India and senior investment officials from India regularly participated in these Business Conferences. Businessmen and chamber from India also attended these conferences. GOPIO had also organized business conferences whereby Indian businessmen from as far as Mauritius, SouthAfrica, Nepal Reunion, Sri Lanka, France, Hong Kong, Australia, and Singapore participated. These conferences uphold GOPIO's objective to mobilize finances. intellectual and professional resources of Indians abroad for lecture and professional resources of Indians abroad for their mutual development & advancement.
GOPIO does not only promote India PIO-Diaspora relations. In Malaysia Itself, It clamors for the formation of a large PIO entrepreneur community, thereby contributing to the country's growth.
GOPIO believes that there should be a large pool of PIO entrepreneurs, who will collectively raise the total stake in the country's economy. This will ensure the PIO's position as affirmative partners in the country 's economic growth and development. With a large number of Indian entrepreneurs, will serve as a sell remedying mechanism to reposition the PIO Community as a meritious equity partner in Malaysia.
These entrepreneurs will also reach out to the needy in the community and mould it into an entrepreneurial group, thereby, reducing the economic gap between the rich and the poor.
By 2020, there should not be any Indians in Malaysia who can be called poor. That must end as the story of the forefathers. The future Malaysian Indian is a strong ·minded, educated professional, and a substantive entrepreneur, thereby, contributing to the country's economy. GOPIO calls out to Awake, Arise, and Achieve.
The Global PIO community needs strong support for higher education for their youths and PIOs recognized India as a major education provider. GOPIO recognizes that scholarships for professional courses in India will provide the critical mass to impact positively on the social-economic development of the PIO community globally.
The GOPIO Education Council set up by GOPIO Malaysia and Edu. India supports students wishing to pursue tertiary education at universities in India. The Council will facilitate 50 scholarships yearly commencing 2011. This falls in the category of Diaspora Scholarships for courses in engineering, health science, physiotherapy (I.T), and computer science for the placement at the various universities in India. It is hoped that through the availability of more scholarships for tertiary education in India, there will be more opportunities for the Indian students to climb the academic ladder and be active participants towards nation buildings.
