Shanghai [China], 23 September (ANI): Competition began on Wednesday at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, with Team India’s largest-ever contingent of 70 young competitors taking to the competition floor across 63 skill categories.
The four-day competition follows the Opening Ceremony held on Tuesday evening, where Team India participated in the Parade of Nations alongside contingents from across the world.
As per the official release, the opening ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Centre brought together nearly 1,400 competitors from more than 65 countries and regions. Carrying the national flag and dressed in Team India colours, the Indian contingent marched into the arena to resounding cheers, marking the formal start of the 48th WorldSkills Competition.
The 48th WorldSkills Competition officially opened in Shanghai, with Chinese President Xi Jinping sending a congratulatory letter to the event, which was read out at the opening ceremony. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the ceremony and formally declared the competition open, marking the beginning of the global skills competition that brings together young talent from across the world.
The Indian delegation leadership present at the ceremony included Manisha Sensharma, Official Delegate, WorldSkills India and Senior Economic Adviser, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Dilip Kumar, Director General, DGT and CEO, National Skill Organisation (NSO). They joined competitors, experts and mentors in supporting Team India as the global competition commenced.
Dilip Kumar, Director General, DGT, National Skill Organisation (NSO), said that, “Our competitors have reached Shanghai after months of intensive technical preparation, repeated simulations and close mentoring by experts and industry partners. We are also happy to share that out of 70 candidates, 14 candidates are from our Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). The focus now is on precision, composure and consistent performance over the four competition days. The entire delegation stands firmly behind Team India.”
Manisha Sensharma, Official Delegate, WorldSkills India and Senior Economic Adviser, MSDE, said, “Watching Team India march at the Opening Ceremony was a moment of immense pride. Each of our 70 competitors represents the aspirations of a skilled and confident India. As the competition begins today, they have the opportunity to benchmark their capabilities against the world’s best, learn from global peers and demonstrate the depth of talent emerging from India’s skilling ecosystem.”
Team India’s participation this year represents a significant expansion in both scale and scope. For the first time, India will compete in 11 new skill categories: Dental Prosthetics, Digital Interactive Media Design, Intelligent Security Technology, Landscape Gardening, Optoelectronic Technology, Retail Sales, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Industrial Mechanics, Software Testing, Heavy Vehicle Technology and Aircraft Maintenance.
The contingent’s presence in the march-past reflected the diversity and strength of India’s skilling ecosystem. The competitors have progressed through rigorous selection and months of specialised training, intensive practice and international-standard preparation, supported by State Governments, Sector Skill Councils, training institutions, industry partners, experts and mentors.
The WorldSkills Competition, organised every two years by WorldSkills International, is the world’s largest international platform for vocational education, training and skills excellence. It enables young professionals to demonstrate technical expertise, precision, creativity, craftsmanship and innovation, while benchmarking their capabilities against global standards.
The skill competitions began at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai and will continue until 26 September, followed by the Closing Ceremony on 27 September.
WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 also features the WorldSkills Expo and the WorldSkills Conference, bringing together young people, policymakers, educators and industry leaders to experience skills and exchange ideas on the future of technical and vocational education and workforce development.
As the competitions commence, Team India will seek to build on the country’s performance at WorldSkills Lyon 2024, where India secured four bronze medals and 12 Medallions for Excellence. The Shanghai campaign offers India’s young professionals an opportunity to test their abilities against the world’s best and showcase the depth, discipline and future-readiness of the country’s skilled talent. (ANI)
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