Bhubaneswar(Kalinga Voice): The State Government’s “Skilled-in-Odisha” campaign got a further boost as the state swept most of the skills in India Skills 2021 Eastern Region competition held at Patna. Odisha dominated the competition by winning 23 Gold Medals and 20 Silver Medals ahead of other competing states.
The State’s strong contingent of 85 participants, contested in 39 skills. The results of the competition were declared in Patna on 23rd October and 43 youths of Odisha emerged with flying colours. Apart from this, walkover was also given to Odisha’s competitors in six skills. A total of 59 competitors including 13 girls will now be competing at the India Skills competition which will be held in Bengaluru in December 2021. Notably the girls from Odisha have also won medals in skills such as welding and painting and decorating which are traditionally male-dominated domains. The winners of the India Skills competition will go on to compete in the World Skills Competition to be held in Shanghai China. A total of 245 youth from eight states/union territory from the east and north east participated in the competition including wild card / corporate entries. The event was organised by NSDC, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India. Hon’ble Governor of Bihar, Shri Fagu Chauhan presided over the prize distribution ceremony and inspired the winners and participants of the skill competition.
Chief Minister, Shri Naveen Patnaik expressed his happiness and exhorted the winners to continue their hard work to bring laurels to the state and the country at World Skills level. Hon’ble Chairman, Odisha Skill Development Authority, Shri Subroto Bagchi and Hon’ble Minister, Skill Development and Technical Education, Shri Premanand Nayak have also congratulated the winners and wished them for their onward journey to World Skills. The State has set a mission of 2-3-4 (2 golds, 3 silver and 4 bronze) for the World Skills Competition.