KOCHI: The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India announced a 48-member contingent which will represent India at the biggest showcase of skills excellence in the world, called WorldSkills International Competition 2019. Also referred to as the ‘Olympics for Skills’, the event is scheduled in Kazan, Russia from August 22-27, 2019.
More than 1,500 competitors from 60 countries will compete in 55 skill competitions. India will participate in 44 skills including mobile robotics, prototype modelling, hairdressing, baking, confectionary & patisserie, welding, bricklaying, car painting, floristry among others.
Among this group, there are three Malayalis. Nidhin Prem, 22, from Kochi has been selected for Game Art, Jibin Williams, 21, from Alappuzha, has got in for floristry and Mohammed Rabith K, 22, from Malappuram for Wall and Floor Tiling.
Nidhin, whose father works in the Kerala Police, discovered his passion for gaming at a very young age. He studied Animation and Gaming from a university in Pune. This enabled him to win gold medals at IndiaSkills National and a silver medal at Global Skills Australia. He now has a gold medal at WorldSkills Kazan in his line of sight.
Nidhin is not only proficient at 3D game art but is adept at playing guitar and piano and loves to cook and swim. Jibin Williams, whose father is a construction worker, has loved making floral arrangements. During festivals, he would help his mother decorate the house with flowers and over time expanded his knowledge about flowers. Born with a creative flair, Jibin decided he would pursue his interest as his profession.
Mohammed Rabith K, whose father is a porter, decided to undertake skill training in tiling. As his training progressed, he started understanding the intricacies and started to fall in love with the beauty of the skill.
He is happy with the experience and exposure that IndiaSkills has given him, and wishes to give his best, whatever the outcome may be. India won one silver, one bronze and nine medallions of excellence at the last edition at Abu Dhabi in 2017.
Journey to WorldSkills 2019
The selection of Team India for WorldSkills 2019 began in January 2018, with the roll-out of a scheme in IndiaSkills competitions. More than 22 states collaborated and organised close to 500 district and state-level competitions between March and April 2018.