NEW DELHI: The first-ever live web telecast of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2008 (PBD) will be carried by www.PIOTV.com on January 8 and 9 2008, from New Delhi, thus making the 6th annual event available free as a high quality television live stream to the nearly 35 million Indian Diaspora worldwide.

The event has become extremely successful as it provides focused interaction on different subjects between the Diaspora and the Central and State governments of India as well as NGOs. "The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs accepted the proposal from PIOTV to make PBD 2008 widely available to the Indian Diaspora free, live and accessible through broadband anywhere in the world," said Munish Gupta, Chairman & CEO of PIO TV.

It is the first integrated digital media platform that streams live television and archives millions of minutes of video related to PIOs, NRIs and India, and is available free via broadband on computers, mobiles and can be watched as IPTV on Flat/Plasma screen connected via very high speed Internet. So far, only India’s national network, Doordarshan, was carrying the opening and closing ceremonies live on its channel ‘DD India’ that reaches some countries around the world.

Gupta also announced that PIOTV will web telecast live the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) annual conference and community service awards also from New Delhi on January 6 and 7. GOPIO conference and awards are held in conjunction with PBD for the last six years. Gupta said: "It is PIOTV’s stated objective to connect India to PIOs and connect PIOs amongst themselves.

These two events will do just that." Gupta said his partner and a production team had flown in to New Delhi from Los Angeles especially for these telecasts "as we are proud to demonstrate the power of live media streams on our www.PIOTV.com and www.IndiaTVLive.com platforms." PIO TV is working closely with MTNL in India and Akamai in the USA to ensure the best possible transmission and consumer connectivity and delivery.

Three prominent Indians, Dr Dhani Ram Baruah of Assam, Balachandran Nair of the Universal Empire Group, and, Manoranjana Sinh of NETV group are sponsors of the telecast. PIO TV is working closely with FICCI, Ashoka Hotel, CII and Government of India to coordinate the best coverage and live relay.