Opening the annual conclave of overseas Indians in the Hi-Tech City in the outskirt of Hyderabad, the prime minister said the city's composite culture, cosmopolitanism and modernism have always been admired.

"What is often recognised is the global outlook of the Hyderabadi person and the Andhra people," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said as to why the government decided to host the annual NRI meet in the city.

To showcase the face of new India, the PBD in Hyderabad begun in the new sprawling Hyderabad International Convention Centre, which the prime minister unveiled on Saturday.

"The fact that we are holding the first meeting of overseas Indians in this prestigious convention centre makes Hyderabad the best destination for NRIs and foreign investment," an elated Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said.

Prime Minister Singh praised the new symbols of globalisation in Hyderabad such as Cyberabad, the pharmaceutical and bio-tech industries and the many sports facilities.

"This magnificent new Convention Centre is yet another symbol," the prime minister added.

The Hyderabad International Convention Centre, a world-class facility for hosting global conferences, has a five-star hotel -- Novatel -- with 300 rooms, which will operate as an independent business entity.

HICC's main conference hall can accommodate over 6,000 with a pre-function foray area of 6,500 square metres. It also has an in-built projection screen of 18/16 feet with state-of-the-art accoustics.

The Rs 300 crore centre has the facilities like Internet cafes, ATMs, shops, five-star hotel, pool, restaurants, bars, car parking for 1,000 cars, loading docks and power back-up generation facility, among others.

HICC is a joint venture of Dubai-based MR Partners and Andhra Pradesh Infrastructure Investment Corporation.

HICC general manager Philip Lagon says the Centre is getting lots of orders for global conventions. "This shows that Hyderabad is the best destination for NRIs and the new India," Lagon told rediff.com.

He said HICC already  has been booked for 17 national and international conventions to be held in 2006.

Complete Coverage: Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2006