Team India finishes at 13th position at Worldskills 2019, which has been dubbed as ‘Olympics of Skills’. Over 1,350 participants from 63 nations competed in 56 skills and trades.
Blazing a trail of glory for the country at the global skill stage, the Indian team finished with the best-ever performance at the WorldSkills international competition 2019 in Kazan, Russia, by winning 19 medals and Medallions of Excellence. The 48-member Indian squad won one Gold, one Silver and two Bronze medals, besides 15 Medallions of Excellence at the competition. With the historic triumph, India finished 13th in the overall standings, several notches up from the last time when it won 11 medals and finished in 19th position at Abu Dhabi in 2017.
Every two years, WorldSkills competition attracts more than 1,300 participants from over 60 countries. At the event, young people from around the globe gather for the chance to win a prestigious medal in their chosen skill. There are competitions in 56 skills in a wide range of industries — from joinery to floristry; hairdressing to electronics; and auto body repair to bakery. The competitors are selected from skill competitions that are held in WorldSkills Member countries and regions. One of the legacies of WorldSkills competitions is the increased visibility of skilled professional education as one of the tools of social and economic transformation. The competition also provides leaders in the industry, government, and education with the opportunity to exchange best practices regarding industry and professional education. New ideas and processes inspire school-aged youth to dedicate themselves to technical and technological careers and build a better future.
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S Aswatha Narayana, who represented Odisha, won a Gold medal in Water Technology as he competed against 11 countries. He was also rewarded ‘Best of Nation’ amongst the Indian competitors. Pranav Nutalapati represented Karnataka and won Silver Medal in Web Technologies after competing with 33 countries. Sanjoy Pramanik represented West Bengal and won Bronze in Jewellery after competing against 16 countries. Shweta Ratanpura represented Maharashtra and won the Bronze in Graphic Designing after showcasing her skill against 35 countries. She also earned the distinction of being the only female candidate to win a medal for India at WorldSkills Kazan 2019.
The competition has become a grand event in the arena of vocational skills, with several contenders participating from across the globe. This year’s challenge witnessed increased participation with more than 1,350 competitors from 63 countries and regions that competed in 56 skills to win prestigious medals.
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“It is a moment of great pride and joy for every Indian. This win will be an inspiration to many other young Indians who will soon become a part of the skilling ecosystem. The winners and their experts will be rewarded as a token of appreciation for their hard work and sincerity that has brought laurels to the nation,” said Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, the Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
During his visit to Kazan, the minister inaugurated the India Pavillion, where representatives from other countries interacted with participants and gauged the potential of India’s workforce.
Rajesh Agrawal, joint secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “We are honoured to see Team India bring home a Gold medal, a Silver medal, two Bronze medals along with 15 Medallions of Excellence from WorldSkills 2019. The youth of the country should take inspiration from the commitment and the determination with which Team India defined new limits and proved their mettle against many nations like China, Russia, Japan and the likes. All of them (participants) have shown that India has a young and competent workforce ready to define new limits.”
He added, “I would also like to thank all the individuals and corporates who were involved with the participants and made this win possible.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Dr Manish Kumar, managing director & CEO, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), said, “I thank the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, state governments and industry leaders for their support to Worldskills, and for providing candidates with the opportunities to excel in this competition. Special thanks to Sanjib Rout and his team at the CV Raman Institute, Odisha, for the role they played as an institution in bringing home the first gold medal for India. I hope that more institutions will come forward to support the next round of Worldskills competitions.”
Experts (trainers) of the winners and the participants were an integral part of the competition and continued supporting the contenders in their respective skills. They played a critical role in Team India’s win, and this milestone would not have been possible without their devoted involvement, an NSDC said.
S Aswatha Narayana who won Gold in Water Technology, was trained by Rajat Kumar Samantaray, Professor, CV Raman Institute, Bhubaneswar. Pranav Nutalapati who won Silver in Web Technologies was trained by Ruchi Pareek, Technical Director, Smalt & Beryl. Sanjoy Pramanik won Bronze in Jewellery and was trained by Anupam Karmakar, Creative Head, Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers. Shweta Ratanpura, who won Bronze in Graphic Designing, was trained by Narayanan Sathish, Founder, Design Media, Pune.
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