New Delhi: Nobel laureate V S Naipaul, eminent economist Lord Meghnad Desai, Lord Navnit Dholakia, and leading musician Zubin Mehta are among 1000 participants from 57 countries for the second Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) from January nine to be held in New Delhi.

The three-day PBD provides a platform to bring together the Indian Diaspora and leverage the potential offered by the global Indian family.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will inaugurate the function with Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo as its chief guest. Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani will also address the meeting on the theme "India and the Diaspora: vision 2020".

"The first Diaspora conclave held this year (2003) was a stepping stone towards strengthening our ties with the Global Indian family. The fervor and passion elicited at the first PBD marked the beginning of a new chapter in Diaspora relations," L M Singhvi, Chairman, organising committee told a press conference in New Delhi.

It would build more bridges, reach more people and utilise the enormous potential that the Global Indian family possesses, the Rajya Sabha member added.

Eminent personalities to attend the function include Dato Seri Sami vellu, Minister of Works, Malaysia, former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minsiter Basdeo Panday, South African MP Usha Roopnarain, Speaker of South African Parliamet Frennie Ginwala, leading entrepreneur Karan Billimoria and Rana Talwar of Sabre Capital.

Indian business magnate Mukesh Ambani, Bharti Telecom Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal and Shobana Bhartia, vice chairman cum Editorial Director 'Hindustan Times', would also participate in the function generating greater interest after passage of Dual Citizenship bill by Parliament.