Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and Minister of State, Ministry of Education, today felicitated the winners of the WorldSkills 2024 competition which was recently held in Lyon, France.
He also honoured eight Paralympic winners (Praveen Kumar, Ajeet Singh Yadav, Sharad Kumar, Pranav Soorma, Simran Sharma, Rubina Francis, Rakesh Kumar, Preethi Pal), who graced the facilitation ceremony of 19 WorldSkills winners, who faced toughest of global parameters to emerge victorious.
"It was a pleasure to interact with the Medal and Medallion of Excellence Winners from Team India who competed at WorldSkills Lyon 2024. They have displayed tremendous confidence and have become inspiring icons for the nation. India’s performance in Lyon, with 16 accolades including four bronze medals, marks a significant step towards our goal of becoming the skill capital of the world. As the industry demands a skilled workforce, discussions around skill benchmarking are gaining momentum. We now have a team that has excelled in Lyon, overcoming some of the toughest global standards," said Jayant Chaudhary.
He emphasised that their achievements reflect not only their dedication but also the robustness of India’s skilling ecosystem under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These accomplishments underscore our expanding expertise in both traditional crafts and emerging industries, positioning India as a rising global leader in key sectors.
While honouring the nine Paralympic winners of Paris 2024, who joined the celebrations of the 16 winners, the Minister added: "Hard work is the key to overcoming challenges. The extraordinary achievements of the Paralympic team in Paris 2024, who triumphed against significant odds to secure 29 medals, embody this spirit," remarked Shri Chaudhary.
The Minister, Jayant Chaudhary Ji, stressed the importance of promoting WorldSkills achievements with the same pride and recognition as our Olympic victories. He noted that just as we celebrate our athletes' success on the global stage, we must also honour our WorldSkills champions—bringing them together to celebrate, learn from each other, and inspire the next generation.
He further added that it’s your individual victories, through sheer dedication and excellence, that will make our collective mission easier, paving the way for India's continued rise on the global skills map.
Preeti Pal NSDC brand ambassador too graced the occasion. She had made history by securing India's first para-athletics medal at the Paralympics, winning bronze in the women's 100m T35 race at the 2024 Games in Paris.
India achieved remarkable success in Lyon, France, winning four Bronze medals in Patisserie and Confectionery, Industry 4.0, Hotel Reception, and Renewable Energy. The winners were Ashwitha Police, Dhrumilkumar Dhirendrakumar Gandhi, Sathyajith Balakrishnan, Joethir Adithya Krishnapriya Ravikumar, and Amaresh Kumar Sahu. In addition to these victories, India earned 12 Medallions of Excellence, showcasing the country's skill and innovation across various trades. Competing against over 70 countries, the Indian delegation's success is a testament to their training and strong industry support.
The minister awarded a cash prize of Rs.6 lakhs to four bronze medallists of WorldSkills, and two lakh each to the experts, who trained them. Another two lakh was awarded to 12 medallion winners, and one lakh each to the industry experts who trained them to face one of the toughest skilling competitions.
Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship said: “I had the privilege of witnessing the WorldSkills competition firsthand in Lyon, and the intensity of the event was remarkable. The level of skill and competition on display was truly world-class, with each challenge pushing the participants to their limits.”
NSDC oversees the selection, development, management, and participation of Team India in WorldSkills and other international competitions, including at Lyon, France. The IndiaSkills Competition is held every two years with the participation of state governments and industry. This competition has been making grassroots level of impact.
