State’s young talent wins one silver medal and three Medallions of Excellence at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026
Mumbai, Sept 2026 : Five young skilled professionals from Maharashtra, representing India at the recently held WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 competition in China, have brought international recognition to the state with an impressive performance, winning one silver medal and three Medallions of Excellence.
Congratulating the winners, Maharashtra Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the achievements of the state’s young representatives at the global level were a matter of great pride for Maharashtra’s skill development ecosystem.
The competition was held in Shanghai from September 22 to 27, 2026, with young participants from 68 countries competing across 63 skill categories. Five representatives from Maharashtra were part of the Indian contingent and delivered notable performances.
Kovid Gangrade won the silver medal in the Digital Interactive Media category. Khushraj Rathod in IT Network Administration, Sampada Desai in Chemical Laboratory Technology and Tahseen Sutar in Beauty Therapy won Medallions of Excellence.
In another achievement, Maharashtra’s Harsh Pawar won a silver medal in 3D Digital Game Art at the Global Skill Challenges 2026, held in Australia.
Cash Prizes Announced for Winners
The state government has announced special cash prizes for the talented participants who brought recognition to Maharashtra at international and national-level competitions.
Silver medallists Kovid Gangrade and Harsh Pawar will each receive a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh. The three winners of Medallions of Excellence — Khushraj Rathod, Sampada Desai and Tahseen Sutar — will each receive Rs 1 lakh.
Under the state government’s policy, winners at international competitions are eligible for Rs 5 lakh for gold, Rs 3 lakh for silver, Rs 2 lakh for bronze and Rs 1 lakh for a Medallion of Excellence.
At the national level, the prize amounts are Rs 1 lakh for gold, Rs 75,000 for silver, Rs 50,000 for bronze and Rs 25,000 for a Medallion of Excellence.
Under the guidance of Dr Amit Saini, Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner of the Maharashtra State Skill Development Society, arrangements were made for the participants’ travel, accommodation, food, continuous training and logistics.
The administration said the achievements were made possible through coordinated efforts with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) and various Sector Skill Councils.
The performances of the Maharashtra participants have highlighted the growing pool of skilled youth from the state and their ability to compete successfully on international platforms.
