Bhubaneswar, July 15: Reaffirming its commitment to transforming Odisha into a leading hub for skill development and technical education, the state government on Wednesday celebrated World Youth Skills Day with a state-level programme at the Convention Centre of Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.

Addressing the gathering as chief guest, Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said the government is focused on equipping youth with industry-relevant skills to meet the demands of advanced manufacturing, digital technology, artificial intelligence, the green economy and the services sector.

Extending his greetings to the youth of Odisha, Swain said their skills are the strength of India and their achievements are a matter of national pride.

He stressed the need for continuous skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling, noting that today's skills will shape tomorrow's leaders. He also urged young people to dream big and enhance their capabilities to seize emerging opportunities.

Observed globally on July 15 every year, World Youth Skills Day is being celebrated this year with the theme "Skills for a Shared Future," highlighting the importance of technical, digital, AI, green, socio-emotional and civic skills in preparing youth for a rapidly evolving world.

A major highlight of the event was the presentation of the Chief Minister's Skill Award to 62 medal winners of the IndiaSkills Competition 2025-26. Gold medallists received Rs 2 lakh each, silver winners Rs 1 lakh, bronze medallists Rs 50,000 and recipients of the Medallion of Excellence Rs 25,000.

The state also celebrated Odisha's emergence as the National Skill Champion at IndiaSkills 2025-26 after securing the highest number of medals in the country, reflecting the strength of its skill development ecosystem.

The first batch of fellows under the Chief Minister's Skill Development Fellowship (CMSDF) programme, launched in 2024, were felicitated for successfully completing their two-year fellowship. Institutional partners Tata Strive and the Indian School of Business were also honoured for their contribution to strengthening skill development at the grassroots level.

To enhance industry collaboration and improve employability, the Skill Development and Technical Education Department signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several organisations, including TCS iON, Edunet Foundation, TNAUTO, ISIEIndia, Abicor Binzel and Yudiz Solutions. The partnerships aim to improve training quality and create greater employment opportunities for students and skilled youth.

Earlier in the day, Swain, along with Higher Education, Sports & Youth Services and Odia Language, Literature & Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, flagged off a Skill Marathon at Kalinga Stadium. More than 500 students from the World Skill Center, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), polytechnics and other educational institutions participated in the event.

Among those present were Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Skill Development and Technical Education Department Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Director of Technical Education & Training and Skill Development-cum-Employment Chakraborty Singh Rathore, World Skill Center CEO Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, senior government officials and industry representatives.