Singapore to connect 'Global South Asians'

Singapore will host the second South Asian Diaspora Convention (SADC) this November on the theme of "Connecting Global South Asians".

To be organised by The Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), which is part of the National University of Singapore, the event (Nov 21-23) will witness prominent personalities discussing critical issues that will shape South Asia's future and its role in global geopolitics in the 21st century, said the release from ISAS.

"The inaugural SADC event in 2011 was very well received with close to 1,000 delegates. This year we expect to welcome over 1,500 delegates from around the globe," said Ambassador Gopinath Pillai, chairman of ISAS and chairman of SADC Organising Committee.

Besides business and politics, the sessions will also delve into the fields of journalism, arts, culture, and sports.

The event will be inaugurated by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean, who will deliver the keynote address. Singapore's President Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam will be the Guest-of-Honour at the SADC gala dinner.

The prominent speakers at the event will include the Indian Finance Minister P.Chidambaram, India's Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor, State Bank of Pakistan's Governor Yaseen Anwar, Singapore' Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Adviser to the Bangaldesh prime minister.

Others will also include S. Gopalakrishnan, co-founder and executive vice chairman, Infosys, and president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Malvinder Mohan Singh, executive chairman, Fortis Healthcare, Sarath Amunugama, Sri Lanka's minister (senior) for international monetary cooperation, Sri Lanka, and K Shanmugam, Singapore's foreign affairs and law minister.