28th October 2023 Edison New Jersey - A pre-inaugural luncheon was held in honor of the Visiting Vibrant Gujarat Team by the Consulate General India - New York in association with Federation of Indian Associations - NY NJ CT NE and Gujarati Association of North American (GANA). This event was a precursor to the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit scheduled for January 2024. Vibrant Gujarat is a biennial Global Business Summit - showcasing the state's Industrial and business potential and bringing together Industry leaders, Policy and decision-makers from around the world. The event set in the decor of Gujarat with a Gujarati menu was at capacity with nearly 300 entrepreneurs, community leaders, and community members in attendance. Also gracing the event were Hon CGI-NY Randhir Jaiswal, Principal Secretary - Finance - Mr. J.P. Gupta from the Government of Gujarat (who were the sponsors for the event as well), DCG Dr Varun Jeph, Community Affairs Consul Mr. VijayKrishnan, FIA's Chairman Ankur Vaidya & Vice President Dr Avinash Gupta along with distinguished and notable community Leaders
Vaidya added, that FIA has now been a consistent community partner and has hosted a total of five Vibrant Gujarat Delegations over the last decade with two in a row under the able leadership of Guptaji. He added that Vibrant Gujarat is a centerpiece of India's progressive journey and a testament to the visionary leadership of India's Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. FIA opened the program, with Chairman Vaidya welcoming the gathering along with the high-level delegation from Gujarat. and said that the overwhelming presence of the Indian community members only goes to show the omnipresent background of patriotism and love for the motherland of India. He said that Vibrant Gujarat is an excellent example of how India is playing the middle game between transitioning between the two words 'developed' and 'developing'.
In his speech, Hon. C.G. Mr. Randhir Jaiswal said that Vibrant Gujarat is not only a window to the state of Gujarat but to the entire nation and is truly a Global summit. In recent years India has been recognized and celebrated for its economic growth and the 34 million Global Indian Diaspora has been one of the pivotal factors in this growth.
Mr. J. P. Gupta shared that the state of Gujarat, through its numerous progressive initiatives under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the past two decades, has earned recognition of being the engine for India's growth. He explained that with a proactive and policy-driven approach, ease of doing business, investor-friendly attitude, and a robust industrial infrastructure, Gujarat has emerged as the most preferred investment destination globally. The growth module is now being emulated in other states including Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. He gave insights into the futuristic Mega Projects like GIFT City, Dholera SIR, DREAM City, Greenfield Ports, and the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail project all aimed to achieve the goal of growth and progress. He expressed confidence that the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Summit will be a golden opportunity for investors looking to engage with Gujarat for its immense growth potential. He was optimistic about achieving success through the Vibrant Summit, counting on the support of investors and entrepreneurs to cultivate a sustainable and inclusive growth ecosystem.
Srujal Parikh provided a Vote of Thanks thanking the community partnering organizations, BAJANA, GANA, BAPS, ICS, AICC, AIANA, and WVV among others. He expressed sincere gratitude to the team consisting of Smita Miki Patel, Priti Patel, Saurin Parikh, Haresh Shah, and Nishi Dhami fo their steadfast support with logistics and coordination to bring this event to fruition in a matter of 6 days. Gujarat-centric breakfast and lunch were served, joint courtesy of CII-CGI-NY and FIA NY-NJ-CT-NE.