UK Minister Priti Patel receives Pravasi Bharatiya Samman

On 28^th March 2017, Indian-origin British Cabinet Minister, Priti Patel received Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) in London from Y K Sinha, the Indian High Commissioner to United Kingdom (UK). The PBSA was conferred on Priti Patel by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee in January 2017 during the 14^th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention held in Bengaluru.

• This award was given to Priti Patel for her outstanding contribution to national and international politics, her role in strengthening relation between United Kingdom (UK) and India, and for her support to Indian Diaspora in the UK.
• After receiving the award, Priti Patel took to Twitter for expressing her happiness. She also expressed personal gratitude to Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

About Priti Patel:

• Priti Patel is a 45 year old Indian-origin British politician.
• She is a member of the Conservative Party, which is one of the two major political parties of United Kingdom (UK)
• Since 2010, she has been a Member of the British Parliament for Witham constituency in Essex county of UK.
• In the current UK Cabinet having Theresa May as Prime Minister, Priti Patel holds the position of Secretary of State for International Development.
• In the previous UK cabinet which had David Cameron as Prime Minister, Priti Patel was the Minister of State for Employment.
• Priti Patel believed that UK will be benefited by staying out of the EURO, and thus in the June 2016 ‘Brexit’ referendum she supported the ‘Leave’ campaign.

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards:

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is the highest honour conferred on Non Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) or an organisation formed and managed by NRIs and PIO.

• It was instituted in the year 2003 by the erstwhile Ministry of overseas Indian Affairs.
• Since 2003 PBSA is conferred annually by the President of India as a part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Conventions. 13^th edition of PBD was held in year 2015. Thereafter it was decide to hold PBD convention at interval of two years. Thus 14^th edition was held in January 2017.
• Awardees of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2017 were determined by the 11-member jury –cum – Awards committee chaired by Vice President of India.
• The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2017 were conferred on 30 awardees (including Priti Patel) by the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on 9^th January 2017 at the PBD Convention in Bengaluru.