"This medal belongs to India," says Saniya Joshi after winning silver in retail sales at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026

Joshi credited the people who supported her journey and said the achievement belonged to the country as well.

Speaking to ANI, Joshi said, "I am super happy. I am so glad that I made it. I am extremely grateful to everyone who supported me throughout my journey. This medal does not belong to me alone; it belongs to India as well. This is the first time India has participated in this skill category, and the category itself is new."

India delivered one of its strongest performances at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, securing 10th place globally with six silver medals and 20 Medals for Excellence. The achievement marks an improvement over Indias 13th-place finish at the previous edition in 2024.

Held from September 22 to 27 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, China, the competition is often described as the Olympic Games of vocational skills.

More than 1,400 young competitors from around 70 countries and regions participated, demonstrating their expertise across 64 official skill disciplines, including Industry 4.0, Web Technologies, Bakery and Fashion Technology.

A notable milestone for India was its participation in Retail Sales, one of 11 new and emerging skill categories in which the country competed for the first time.

The category focuses on customer-centric service and the ability to help shoppers connect with products across physical stores, online platforms and digital retail environments.

Joshi won a silver medal in Retail Sales, contributing to Indias overall medal tally.

Indias 70-member contingent was organised by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

The six silver medals were won across disciplines including Bakery, Industrial Design and Retail Sales, while 20 participants earned Medals for Excellence, reflecting the breadth of Indias vocational talent.

Indian baker Smriti Nambiar also received a silver medal and was honoured with the prestigious Best of the Nation award after achieving the highest score among Indian participants.

Expressing her joy, Smriti Nambiar told ANI, "It feels great I just found out about the Best of the Nation award and the fact that I won it. I got the silver medal as well as this I am very grateful to everyone: my mentor, my family, my parents, all the chefs I've worked with. It's because of them that I was able to achieve this."

In the Digital Interactive Media Design category, Kovid Ajay Gangrade secured a silver medal after rigorous rounds of competition. "It is absolutely unreal. Being here, winning the medal just makes all of the preparation and the work you put in make it all worth it," Gangrade stated.

In the Digital Interactive Media Design category, Kovid Ajay Gangrade secured a silver medal after rigorous rounds of competition. "It is absolutely unreal. Being here, winning the medal just makes all of the preparation and the work you put in make it all worth it," Gangrade said.

Mohammed Salam added another silver to the country's tally in Dental Prosthetics. Speaking to ANI, Salam underscored the fierce competition, stating, "I am overjoyed; I put in a tremendous amount of effort to reach this stage and represent the Indian team. Thank you so much for all the support. This was my first time in a competition like this; there were four competitors, and the margins were incredibly tight, but today, I stand here as the winner I want to mentor the next generation and help enhance India's skill set."

Mehrunissa Begum secured silver in Logistics and Freight Forwarding, tracing her journey from an internship to the global podium.

Speaking to ANI, she said, "I really cant describe how it feels, because of all the hard work put into it, putting my whole heart and soul into it. Now that Im here, this medal literally means a lothonestly, it means so much. Im speechless."Recalling her path, she added, "When I was doing an internship at my Chief Experts company, I observed the training of the previous competitor. That gave me motivation and inspiration, and I started observing everything from then on. Step by step, I moved forward, state competitions, regionals, then IndiaSkills. When I found out I won gold at the nationals, I got the opportunity to represent India. From there, it was three months of intense hard trainingmanaging work, routine, anxiety, everything. And now Im here, a year later. I just want to say that everyone in Gen Z knows how powerful they are, and how much passion and talent they possess inside. Just bring it out. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Just step up, guys, and do it!"

Parth Vohra bagged a silver medal in Industrial Design Technology and credited the institutional ecosystem under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. "I'm feeling really proud and really excited to be here and winning a medal for my country. I was the one just sitting at home last year, and one of my faculty members told me to apply for this competition. While applying, I didnt imagine that I would be the one representing the country. Luckily, I am the one wearing the medal today, and I feel really proud And I would really like to thank the Ministry of Skill Development and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing us with this opportunity," Vohra told ANI.

Vohra added, "To the youth, I would like to say: don't just sit there. Come out into the arena, showcase your skills, apply for IndiaSkills, and you could be the one holding this flag and medal next time. Last year, I applied on the IndiaSkills website. There were multiple rounds: state rounds, regionals, and nationals. If you have the skill, you will get through, and this is the stage you reach when you clear the IndiaSkills competition."

The competition concluded with a closing ceremony featuring the medal presentations and the formal handover of the WorldSkills flag to Aichi, Japan, which will host the next WorldSkills Competition in 2028.

India's participation at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 was coordinated by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), with support from Sector Skill Councils, industry partners, training institutions, technical experts and other stakeholders. (ANI)