Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the young Indian diaspora is the country’s "knowledge bank" and everyone should be proud of the achievements of people of Indian origin (PIOs) across the world.

Interacting with participants of the Know India Programme (KIP), an internship programme for diaspora youth organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), who called on him in New Delhi on June 10, Manmohan Singh emphasised the need for more interface between the government and the Indian diaspora.

The Prime Minister said that the Government of India has been trying to create an enabling environment, so that people could rise to their best potential.

He said as the links of the diaspora with the mother country grow, nourish and strengthen, it would be a "win-win situation for India".

The delegation comprised 25 interns from nine nations. Also present on the occasion were the Prime Minister’s wife, Gursharan Kaur, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, T.K. Nair, and Secretary, MOIA, Nirmal Singh.

The programme, conducted by the MOIA , seeks to provide a forum for students and young professionals of Indian origin to share views and experiences and also interact with their contemporaries in India.

Following the conclusion of the programme, the participants had an interactive session with the media in which Racheli Haligoa, a participant from Israel, said she was simply overwhelmed meeting the Prime Minister.

"You feel proud to know that India has such a man as prime minister," she said.

Sudisha Naidu, a participant from South Africa, described the experience as the biggest learning curve in her life.

"The cultural experiences I gained while staying in the villages are what I am going to take back home," she said.

Describing her interaction with the local people of Himachal Pradesh as amazing, Krishna Maroo from Britain said it’s an experience every non-resident Indian should have.

Kamala Guganeswaran from Malaysia said that, as a follow-up to this programme, he would initiate a youth exchange programme between his country and India.

All the participants were unanimous in their praise for MOIA and NYKS for the seamless coordination with which the programme was conducted.

They were also profuse in expressing their gratitude for the villagers in Himachal Pradesh with whom they stayed as guests.