Nicosia (Cyprus), Oct. 31 President Pratibha Patil has asked NRIs in Nicosia to participate in social welfare programmes launched by the Indian government, especially the education and health care sectors which are essential pillars of a society.

"We are expanding our education and health care sectors as essential pillars for building a human resource that is educated and healthy," Patil said at a reception hosted for her by Indian High Commissioner to Cyprus, Ashok Kumar, on Saturday.

Patil told the members of Indian community gathered at the event that the government has taken up social welfare programmes in whose implementation, civil society and NGOs are important parties.

"This is another field in which Indians abroad can play a role. I hope that you will support these efforts," Patil said.

Patil, who is the first Indian head of state to visit the island nation in two decades, said India has established its place as a major player in the Information Technology sector and its stature is growing in the emerging global order.

"I am confident that in this journey, the Indian diaspora will be active participants," she said.

"We are undertaking a large-scale expansion of infrastructure in India, which opens numerous opportunities for investment... India is also a large market in which the middle class has been growing. This makes it an attractive market," she added. (ANI)