Minister Jayant Chaudhary Joins Team India At WorldSkills 2024 Opening In Lyon

The 47 WorldSkills Competition was officially inaugurated by French President Emmanuel Macron at a grand opening ceremony held at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France. Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (/C), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship also graced the ceremony, meeting the young participants comprising of Team India, to boost their confidence.

With over 13,000 attendees from across the globe, Team India made an impression at the WorldSkills 2024 competition, standing out with their distinct ceremonial attire that showcased the nation's rich cultural heritage, exquisite craftsmanship and sartorial elegance. The competitors will be competing in skills like, 3D Digital Game Art, Additive Manufacturing, Auto Body Repair, Chemical Lab Technology, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, Digital Construction, Fashion Technology, Graphic Design, Industry 4.0, Health and social care, Mechanical Engineering CAD, Robot System, Water Technology, Welding, Bricklaying, Plastering, Patisserie, Bakery, Hospitality Services and many more.

WorldSkills is a platform not just for competition but for sharing knowledge, learning from one another, and fostering unity. The year 2024 is a momentous one for France, as it plays host to the Olympics, Paralympics, and now, the prestigious WorldSkills competition. None of which would have been possible without skills.
At this global skills platform and meeting the team, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, MoS (I/C), MSDE said, “Our 60 young champions from Team India, competing in 52 skills, are not merely participants but will serve as change makers, leading the way to a future shaped by skill, innovation and determination. Watching them live, marching with pride on this global stage, gave me a glimpse of how special these moments are for the young boys and girls competing and representing India.”

Led by flagbearer Shreyansh Sharma from Jaipur, Rajasthan, who will compete in the Chemical Laboratory Technology skill category, the 60-member Indian contingent made a striking entrance during the Parade of Nations.
Shweta Ratanpura, Bronze Medalist in Graphic Design Technology at WorldSkills Kazan 2019, has been nominated as the new WorldSkills Champions Trust Representative from Asia for 2024. She had the privilege of a one-on-one meeting with the Minister and also addressed the audience on the global stage, representing India with pride and passion.

The Indian team's participation aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India a global hub for skilled talent. Furthermore, the presence of the Minister underscores the government's commitment to promoting skill development and supporting the nation's young talent at the global stage.

Interestingly, this year in the Indian contingent, women will be seen competing in traditionally male-dominated fields such as Welding, Plumbing and Heating, Logistics & Freight Forwarding, underscoring the changing face of India's workforce, amongst the youngest in the world and a pointer to the gender demographic upside, that the country can reap if it invests gainfully in skilling its young population.

The WorldSkills 2024 competition, often referred to as the "Olympics of Skills," will run from September 10-15 at Eurexpo Lyon, France. Over 1,400 competitors from more than 70 countries will compete with 1,300 experts and an expected attendance of over 2,50,000 participants.