NEW DELHI, September 23 (Trinet News): The WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 competitions commenced on Wednesday, featuring India's largest-ever contingent of 70 young talents competing across 63 skill categories on the global stage.
The grand opening ceremony of the four-day international event was held on Tuesday evening. Team India participated in the 'Parade of Nations' alongside delegations from various countries. Held at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center, the inaugural ceremony was attended by around 1,400 competitors from over 65 countries and regions. Dressed in Team India colors and holding the national flag, the Indian contingent marched on stage amidst loud applause from the audience, officially kicking off the 48th WorldSkills competition.
A congratulatory message sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping was read out during the opening ceremony. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the event and officially declared the competitions open.
Manisha Sensarma, Senior Economic Advisor at the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and official representative of WorldSkills India, along with Dilip Kumar, Director General of Training and CEO of the National Skill Organization, attended the opening ceremony on behalf of the Indian delegation. They stood in support of Team India alongside competitors, experts, and mentors.
Dilip Kumar stated that the Indian competitors reached Shanghai following months of technical training, practical tests, simulation contests, and under the supervision of industry partners and experts. He revealed that out of the total 70 competitors, 14 belong to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). He added that the focus during the four-day event will be on demonstrating precision, composure, and consistent performance.
Manisha Sensarma expressed pride in witnessing Team India's march at the opening ceremony. She noted that the 70 competitors represent the emerging talent from India's skill training ecosystem, giving them the opportunity to benchmark their abilities against the world's best while learning from international peers.
For the first time, India has secured representation in 11 new categories, significantly expanding Team India both in terms of numbers and competitive fields. India is competing for the first time in the following 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
- Aircraft Maintenance
Indian competitors successfully navigated a rigorous selection process, completing months of specialized training, continuous practice, and international-standard preparation. State governments, sector skill councils, training institutes, industry partners, experts, and mentors provided support to them.
Organized biennially by WorldSkills International, the competition is recognized as the world's largest vocational education, training, and skill-talent platform. It provides young professionals an opportunity to showcase technical skill, precision, creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation while benchmarking their talent against global standards.
The competitions began at 9:00 AM on Wednesday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. The events will continue until September 26, with the closing ceremony scheduled for September 27. The WorldSkills Expo and WorldSkills Conference are also being held as part of the event.
At WorldSkills Lyon 2024, India won four bronze medals and 12 Medallions for Excellence. Building on that success, Team India aims to deliver an exceptional performance at the Shanghai competitions. These competitions serve as a crucial platform to showcase the skill, discipline, and future-ready capabilities of Indian youth to the world.
