Minister urges Indian participants to compete in true spirit at WorldSkills

Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey has urged all the 48 members, who will be representing India at WorldSkills Kazan 2019, to compete in the true spirit of participation and make India proud on the global platform.

Pandey said this on Sunday during a send-off ceremony which was organised by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in the capital.

"My heartiest congratulations to the 48 of you who have proven your mark at the national level. You all will now represent the country at the world's biggest skill competition in Russia," he said.

He told them to "compete in the true spirit of participation and make India proud on the global platform and at the same time learn from your international peers competing with you."

"You are the brand ambassadors of India and your victory will be an inspiration for every Indian youth who aspires to make it big in their life. Participating at events of such scale adds to the larger cause of skill development which is integral to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a Skilled India," an official statement quoted Pandey, as saying.

Pandey said he is elated to see female participation at the WorldSkills and is optimistic that in the years to come female participation will further increase.

"I am happy to learn that we have six young girls also bearing the flag of the country at Kazan. I am positive you will inspire many more and we will see increased female participation in the years to come," he said.

"I also hope with Team India's participation at WorldSkills, the event will gain the same level of popularity in the country, as the Olympics and the Asian Games," Pandey said.

Nearly 1,500 competitors from 60 countries will compete in 56 skill competitions and interestingly, India is the sixth-largest team that will take part in the competition.

The 48-member Indian team will take part in 44 skills which include mobile robotics, prototype modelling, hairdressing, baking, confectionery and patisserie, welding, bricklaying, car painting, floristry, and so on.

All the 48 participants have been shortlisted through a series of contests conducted at district, state, regional and national levels over the past year.

The WorldSkills Kazan will start from August 22 and will conclude on August 27.