Bhubaneswar, Jan 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday arrived in Bhubaneswar on his two-day visit to Odisha during which he will inaugurate the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention tomorrow.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandviya, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida along with other senior leaders welcomed PM Modi after his arrival at the Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar this evening.

The Prime Minister later in a carcade, went to the Odisha Raj Bhavan where he would spend the night.

Several traditional Odia cultural programmes were organised at around eight places along the road to Raj Bhavan to welcome PM Modi. The Prime Minister on his way to Raj Bhavan also greeted the people gathered on both sides of the road by waving his hand.

PM Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention at the Janata Maidan here on Thursday. The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention kicked off here this morning with more than 6,000 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from about 75 countries participating in it.

The Prime Minister will leave for Delhi after attending the PBD convention on Thursday.

Trinidad and Tobago President Christine Carla Kangaloo is the chief guest of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, which is being held on the theme ‘Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat’. She will address the convention virtually.

President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the valedictory session on Friday. She will also confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman upon members of the Indian diaspora to recognise their achievements in various fields.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made across the State capital for the three-day convention.

Around 2,700 police personnel along with 1,200 central forces’ personnel were deployed in Bhubaneswar for security and traffic management, a senior officer said.

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