India’s Skilled Youth Shine in Shanghai: Smriti Nambiar Wins Silver and ‘Best of Nation’ Honour

For baker Smriti Nambiar, the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 podium brought not one, but two reasons to celebrate. Smriti won a silver medal in Bakery and was also named India’s ‘Best of Nation’ competitor, an honour presented to the highest-performing competitor from each participating country or region. (“It feels great,” Smriti said after learning about the honour, expressing gratitude to her mentor, family, parents and the chefs who supported her journey. Her achievement became one of the highlights of an impressive performance for India at the prestigious international skills competition.Six Silvers Across Diverse SkillsIndia finished 10th at the 48th WorldSkills Competition, improving from its 13th-place finish at WorldSkills Lyon 2024. The Indian contingent returned with six silver medals and 20 Medals for Excellence. The six silver medallists represented a striking variety of professions.Mohammed Salam won silver in Dental Prosthetics, while Kovid Ajay Gangrade secured silver in Digital Interactive Media Design. Parth Vohra earned silver in Industrial Design Technology, Mehrunissa Begum in Logistics and Freight Forwarding, and Saniya Joshi in Retail Sales. For Saniya, the medal carried another special significance. Retail Sales was among the categories in which India was participating for the first time.From Training Rooms to the World StageThe journey to Shanghai was built on months and, for many competitors, years of preparation. Mehrunissa Begum’s path, for instance, began with an internship where she observed the training of an earlier competitor. She gradually progressed through state and regional competitions before winning gold at the national level and earning the opportunity to represent India.At Shanghai, her effort culminated in a silver medal. Kovid Gangrade described his own medal as an almost unreal moment after the intense preparation that preceded the competition. Salam, meanwhile, spoke of his desire to mentor the next generation and contribute to India’s growing skills ecosystem.A Wider Skills StoryIndia’s performance went beyond the medal tally. The country’s largest-ever contingent at the event comprised 70 competitors across 63 skills, covering areas from advanced manufacturing and engineering to digital technology, creative industries and specialised services. According to a report in the Times of India, India also made its debut in 11 skill categories, including Retail Sales, Dental Prosthetics, Software Testing, Unmanned Aerial Systems and Aircraft Maintenance. The WorldSkills Shanghai competition brought together more than 1,400 young competitors from around 70 countries and regions, putting technical knowledge, precision, creativity and practical expertise under the global spotlight. For Team India, Shanghai offered a powerful reminder that skills can open doors far beyond conventional career paths. And for Smriti Nambiar, a silver medal and the ‘Best of Nation’ honour made the journey especially memorable.