Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Felicitates WorldSkills 2017 Winners from India

Newdelhi;28/12/2017;Driving the youth to take up skill training programs and encouraging their participation at global platforms such as WorldSkills International Competition, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) felicitated the Indian team that has won laurels at the WorldSkills 2017. The felicitation and award ceremony was organized in New Delhi in the august presence of Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.

The Ministry disbursed reward money worth Rs. 50 lakhs amongst winners and their respective trainers, in various categories, for their participation in WorldSkills International Competition, that was held in Abu Dhabi in October this year. Led by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the guidance of MSDE, a team of 28 participants represented India in 26 skill categories at the skills competition. These talented and skilled millennials hailing from different corners of the country, had competed at the WorldSkills Competition against their peers at the global level. The competition had drawn 1,300 young contestants from 59 WorldSkills’ member countries and regions, showcasing their talent across 51 skills competitions.

Applauding the accomplishments of the participants, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said, “It is encouraging to see the passion, efforts and dedication of these young competitors that has made the nation proud. Such competitions not only give opportunities to candidates to represent the country at global platforms, but also raise the benchmarks of skilling. We truly believe that these Skill India ambassadors would inspire many others to take up skill training, which is the key to garner success and respect in the society.”

Shri Pradhan further added, “It is the need of the hour to respect and celebrate skilled individuals. The talent or skills must not be confined to any rigorous framework. Essence of human qualities like hard work, honesty and simplicity are of great value to the working ecosystem. We are certain that we will see much stronger participation in the forthcoming competitions. It is heartening to note that non-conventional skills such as Patisserie and Confectionary, Bricklaying, Mechatronics, Jewellery Designing are the new mainstream.”

In his congratulatory remarks for the Indian Team, Shri Anantkumar Hegde, Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship said, “These young boys and girls have spent years preparing to compete at the global level to ensure their skills meet the global level. It is commendable that we had participation from some of the most remote locations in the country, and these young stars have outperformed their global counterparts, entirely by their talent. We urge these talented millennials to contribute further by leading as role models and encouraging many others.”

Team India exhibited exemplary performance at the competition by winning One Silver for Patisserie and Confectionary (Mohit Dudeja), One Bronze for Prototype Modelling (Kiran Sudhakar) and Nine Medallions of Excellence. Showcasing its best performance, Indian contingent ranked amongst the top 20 countries at the WorldSkills competition at Abu Dhabi.

Mohit Dudeja from Delhi NCR was rewarded with Rs. Eight Lakhs for winning a Silver in Patisserie and Confectionary skills. He is also the winner of the “Best of Nation” award for scoring highest amongst the India contingent. He ranked above his peers from other countries such as China, Switzerland, Canada, Korea and UK. Kiran Sudhakar, who hails from Bangalore, was awarded a cheque of Rs. Six Lakhs for winning a Bronze in Prototype Modelling.

Eleven other competitors were rewarded with Rs. Two Lakhs each for winning Nine Medallions for Excellence in trades such as mechatronics, brick-laying, restaurant service, automobile technology, jewellery, graphic design technology, mobile robotics, beauty therapy and car painting. The experts, who had trained the winners were also felicitated with reward money in various categories – Rs 3 lakhs (for Silver), Rs. 2 lakhs (for Bronze) and Rs. 1 lakh each (for medallions of excellence). On this occasion, WorldSkills India Guidelines and Handbook was also released. The book outlays the structure for governance and operations of skill competitions in the country.