India will send a team of 70 people to the 'Olympic Games of Skills' in Shanghai, representing an unusually diverse composition. Among the participants are a jewelry apprentice with an eighth-grade education, an eleventh-grade florist, a farmer's son trained in refrigeration equipment, as well as young specialists in robotics, cybersecurity, and Industry 4.0.
At the WorldSkills 2026 championship, which will take place from September 22 to 27, India will participate in 63 skill categories. The delegation includes students, pupils, and young professionals trained in both traditional crafts and new technologies. Furthermore, the composition remains predominantly male, as only 14 out of 70 participants are women.
Karnataka has the largest representation with sixteen contestants, followed by Odisha with thirteen and Tamil Nadu with twelve. Maharashtra will field five participants, while Bihar, Haryana, Telangana, and Gujarat will each present three.
Among those traveling to Shanghai is Md Dilkhush from Bihar, whose father is a farmer. He received training in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, becoming a national champion in IndiaSkills, and will compete in installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and energy-efficient cooling systems.
Joy Das from Tamil Nadu, the son of a fisherman, completed the eighth grade and mastered jewelry making, winning gold medals at the state and national levels. Laumnakima from Mizoram, an eleventh-grade student, will compete in floristry, and Prakash Sutar from Gujarat continued his father's path as a carpenter in carpentry.
The delegation also demonstrates how professional trajectories are increasingly intersecting with family and educational backgrounds. Anuja Ware from Karnataka, whose parents are doctors, will participate in visual merchandising. She previously created an exhibition space for Bharat Tex, visited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and won gold at regional and national skills competitions.
Mehrunissa Begum from Telangana has progressed from an apprenticeship in logistics and expedition to winning gold medals at the state, regional, and national levels. A daughter of a bakery owner and homemaker, she spoke about overcoming anxiety and feelings of depression during competitions.
Smriti Nambiar from Karnataka, a baker contestant who studied at IHM Pusa, was recognized as a student all-rounder and rising culinary talent of the institute for two consecutive years. Krishnanjali Sahu from Odisha will represent the country in confectionery arts, and Jansirani Raut competes in restaurant service.
The team also includes a strong component of 'green skills'. Vishnu Prajapat from Rajasthan, whose father is an electrician, will participate in renewable energy after gaining practical experience in solar installations and familiarizing himself with wind turbines. Rushikesh Pitambaram will represent India in water supply.
On the technological front, the Indian delegation will participate in competitions on autonomous mobile robotics, cloud computing, cybersecurity, software testing, unmanned aerial vehicles, optoelectronics, and integration of robotic systems. Mobile application developer Arjun Vidjabaskar started coding at the age of 12, while the Industry 4.0 participant Sukhan Maskeranhas is the son of two employees of the ISRO Control Centre in Hassan.
Harsh Pawar from Maharashtra, whose father works as a quality supervisor at a cylinder manufacturing plant, will compete in 3D digital game art. Pawar has already won silver at the Global Skills Competition in Australia. Two-person teams will represent India in areas such as autonomous mobile robotics, mechatronics, landscape design, concrete construction, and integration of robotic systems.
The forty-eighth edition of the event will begin on September 22, with competitions held from September 23 to 26 and the closing ceremony on September 27. Participants will perform tasks corresponding to industry standards under the close observation of international experts. The event will also serve as a platform for conferences and industry exhibitions dedicated to technical education, workforce development, and sustainable technologies.
India aims to improve its results from WorldSkills Lyon 2024, where the country won four bronze medals and 12 distinction medals.