Prabashi Tripurabashis Summit 2025: CM Dr. Manik Saha Calls on Diaspora to Become Ambassadors of ‘New Tripura’
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, December 29, 2025
The much-publicised Prabashi Tripura Divas was held on Sunday evening at a city hotel in Agartala, with Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha appealing to Prabashi Tripurabashis to act as ambassadors for the state and contribute actively to its development journey.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister elaborated on the development initiatives undertaken by his government to shape a 'New Tripura.' He asserted that Tripura has no dearth of talented individuals, both within the state and outside, and urged members of the diaspora to participate in the summit every year with innovative ideas to take the state forward.
The stated objective of Prabashi Tripura Divas was to engage the global Tripura diaspora, particularly Non-Resident Tripurabashis settled abroad and to seek their views on the state’s development initiatives.
However, several participants expressed dissatisfaction over the structure of the programme, pointing out that due to lengthy speeches by various speakers, most attendees did not get an opportunity to speak.
Notably, no interactive question and answer session was held. Serious questions were also raised over the intent, planning and credibility of the event after it emerged that only around 10 to 12 overseas NRIs of Tripura origin were present, out of nearly 80 attendees, despite the programme being projected as a major global diaspora outreach initiative.
According to the official list of invitees, most of the registered participants were professionals, technocrats and officials based in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Delhi and other Indian cities. Observers and stakeholders, however, expressed hope that future editions would see greater overseas participation.
Critics further pointed out that even last year the programme was held in an online format, with participation largely limited to India-based non-resident Tripurabashis from cities such as Kolkata, Bengaluru and Delhi. They noted that, so far, the state has not received any tangible investment or measurable outcomes from the platform.
This year, however, a significant announcement came from Chandra Sekhar Ghosh, Chairman of the Bandhan Group, who declared that the Bandhan Bank Group would invest 200 crore to set up a private medical college at Ambassa. He stated that groundwork related to the project would begin soon and appealed to other Prabashi Tripurabashis to come forward with investments to support the government’s vision for a New Tripura.
The inaugural session, titled 'Connecting Hearts & Shaping Futures,' commenced at 6.10 pm, with Chief Minister Manik Saha attending as the Chief Guest. He emphasised the importance of engaging the global Tripura diaspora in the state’s development process. Shri PK Chakraborty, IAS (Retd), UK Chakma, IAS ( Retd), Shri Saju Vaheed A, IAS, Managing Director of the National Health Mission and Additional Secretary to the Government of Tripura, was present at the dias, while Tripura Institution for Transformation CEO Kiran Gitte, IAS, delivered a recorded video message in his absence.
Dignitaries on the dais also included are Bandhan Group Chairman Chandra Sekhar Ghosh, MIT scientist Santanu Bhattacharya, Supratim Sen, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Practice in Management Science at Sister Nivedita University, Dr. Deepak Kumar, IAS, Director and Director IT Jeya Ragul Geshan B, IFS.
The gathering observed a one-minute silence in memory of late Biswabandhu Sen, former Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly. Context-setting remarks were followed by a keynote address by Chandra Sekhar Ghosh on inclusive growth, entrepreneurship and the role of financial institutions in empowering emerging regions. The inaugural session concluded with the Chief Minister’s address.
After a networking tea break, Thematic Session II madarated by Registrar MBB University Sumanta Chakraborty on Education, Healthcare and Tourism began at 8.30 pm under the chairmanship of Tourism and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury. The session saw participation from the hospitality, healthcare and media sectors.
Thematic Session I, focusing on IT, Start-ups and Skilling in Tripura, was held at 10.20 pm. Panelists included representatives from ISRO, Apple Inc. and FICCI, with the session moderated by Subhashish Kar of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Breakout sessions followed both thematic discussions.
The summit formally concluded at 11 pm, with reflections and a stated consensus on leveraging the expertise of Prabashi Tripurabashis, strengthening policy–industry–academia collaboration and accelerating Tripura’s growth through innovation and human capital.
Earlier in the day, the programme had begun at 4 pm with registration, followed by a networking and ice-breaking session coordinated by Prof. Indranill Bhowmik, Shubrajt Bhattacharjee and Subhashish Kar.
Despite the detailed sessions and high-profile presence, critics maintain that unless future editions ensure meaningful participation of overseas NRIs and deliver tangible outcomes, Prabashi Tripura Divas risks remaining a largely symbolic exercise rather than evolving into a credible platform for diaspora-driven development.
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