Publisher Sunny Kulathakal has travelled 2,000-odd km to the largest Indian diaspora conclave in Mumbai with one aim — to highlight the plight of Indian workers in the Gulf.‘‘They are cheated by various agencies who promise them jobs there. They end up doing menial jobs, making very little money,’’ said the 60-year-old from Bahrain. ‘‘The suicide rate among them is high and they need to be rehabilitated,’’ added Kulathakal, who wants to build a database for a global Indian directory.Kulathakal is one of the 2,500 delegates at the third Bharatiya Pravasi Divas (PBD) being held in Mumbai this year.And attending it are chief executive officers, members of Parliament, lawyers, social activists and researchers who have travelled all the way from Germany to Guadeloupe.‘‘The rise in number of delegates from 800 last year to 2,500 this year indicates Mumbai’s popularity,’’ said Minister of Overseas Affairs, Jagdish Tytler.The three-day event, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow, will comprise sectoral sessions on themes like education, entertainment, infrastructure, tourism and science and technology.Following the recent tsunami tragedy, the organisers — Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs — have also included a session on disaster management and rehabilitation.Representatives of 15 states will make presentations to invite investments in upcoming projects.At the main venue — National Centre for Perfoming Arts, Nariman Point — 80 exhibitors, including governments of Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, have found a platform. Kerala, for instance, has invested Rs 19 lakh in 12 stalls promoting Ayurveda. ‘‘We received many queries on Ayurvedic health treatments last time. We’re also looking at other public sector units like coir, rubber and tourism,’’ a spokesperson said.
