NEW DELHI: Marking a major triumph for India’s automotive skill ecosystem, competitors supported and prepared by the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) secured five prestigious Medals for Excellence at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China.
ASDC played a crucial role in the training and preparation of Team India’s competitors across automotive-related skills, working closely with leading Industry and Academia Training Partners in India to provide specialized technical training, hands-on practice, and competition-oriented preparation. For selected skills, competitors and experts were also provided opportunities for international training, exposure visits, and friendly competitions abroad, enabling them to benchmark their skills against global competitors and gain valuable experience ahead of WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. These comprehensive preparation initiatives, supported by ASDC’s strong industry and academia ecosystem, contributed to India’s historic top-10 global finish, with Team India securing 6 Silver Medals and 20 Medals for Excellence overall.
The six-day international event, held from 22–27 September 2026, brought together over 1,400 young competitors from around 70 countries. Representing India was its largest-ever contingent of 70 competitors participating across 63 skills. Among them, ASDC-trained youth demonstrated world-class mastery in high-tech and traditional automotive domains, marking an important milestone for the country’s skilled youth on the global stage.
The ASDC achievers recognized with Medals for Excellence include:
- Additive Manufacturing: Pavan Bhadravati Suresha
- Car Painting: Kaif Khan
- Automobile Technology: Md Seraj
- Industry 4.0: Mallinath and Suhan Mascarenhas
- Robot Systems Integration: Abhishek Somanna Shignalli and Vinay Muttayya Hiremath
Celebrating the triumph, Vinkesh Gulati, Chairperson, ASDC, said: “This stellar performance at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 is a proud moment for ASDC and a testament to the immense talent of India’s youth. Winning Medals for Excellence across advanced automotive domains reflects our relentless commitment to aligning skill training with global standards. Our young champions have proved that Indian automotive talent is second to none.”
Highlighting the Council’s rigorous training framework, Prasanna Pahade, CEO, ASDC, stated: “Securing five Medallions across critical futuristic skills like Industry 4.0, Robotics, and Additive Manufacturing reaffirms the impact of ASDC’s industry-aligned curriculum and intensive mentorship. The benchmark perfection demanded at WorldSkills validates our mission to build a future-ready workforce for the global mobility sector.”
ASDC’s achievements were supported by strong industry partnerships, with competitors receiving training and guidance from leading organisations including Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., FANUC India, Axalta Coating Systems India Private Limited, Festo India Private Limited, SHINING 3D, Autodesk, NAMTECH, International Automobile Centre of Excellence (iACE), NTTF (Nettur Technical Training Foundation), and Synoptic Skills Studio Private Limited, under the expert guidance of professionals such as Prashanth A, Prasanna Samel, Ajay Ram, Dishank Upadhyay, and Arjun Naresh.
This achievement reinforces ASDC’s pivotal role in transforming skill development and empowering India’s youth to excel on the world stage.
