Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], January 10 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday visited the exhibitions at the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2025 Convention, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of India. He praised the effort to showcase the country's ancient traditions and civilisations, particularly those of Odisha, through the exhibition. While speaking with the reporters, Pradhan said, "This is a glimpse of the heritage of India. Today, we have made an effort to show the heritage of the country through this exhibition."Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Odisha government, he commended their role in bringing this cultural legacy to the people. "Especially, a very good work has been done by bringing ancient tradition and ancient civilization of Odisha to the people here today. I thank the Odisha government and express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing this cultural heritage in front of the people," Pradhan said. Meanwhile, Pradhan shared a post on X about Odisha's cultural heritage at the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas. He wrote, "Odisha, the state of fine arts, is known for its festivals, heritage, culture and traditions. Our way of life creates an atmosphere of peace, brotherhood and harmony in the society. Folk art, folk tradition, handicrafts, textile crafts, paintings or humanities; all these are the unique treasures of our state. I firmly believe that the unique image of Odisha in the Odisha Pavilion will attract the diaspora and be a means of exploring the depths of the Odia nation.""The Odisha Pavilion at #PBD2025 is a celebration of the states unparalleled culture and heritage and also serves as a platform to promote Odisha's crafts and craftspeople at a global scale. Delighted to get an immersive experience of Odisha's rich heritage, history and cultural identity in its full splendor," the post added.A day earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated an exhibition as part of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations.The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is the flagship event of the Government of India that provides an important platform to connect and engage with the Indian diaspora and enable them to interact with each other. The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is being organized in partnership with the State Government of Odisha from January 8 to 10 in Bhubaneswar.The theme of this PBD Convention is "Diaspora's Contribution to a Viksit Bharat". A large number of Indian diaspora members from over 50 different countries have registered to participate in the PBD Convention. (ANI)