The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has marked a notable achievement at the 48th WorldSkills Competition, Shanghai 2026, with its students and experts representing India in four key areas spanning fashion, digital design, retail and visual merchandising.
Held in Shanghai, China, from September 23 to 26, WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 brought together more than 1,400 young competitors from around 68 countries and regions, competing across 64 skills. India fielded its largest-ever contingent of 70 competitors in 63 skills and secured 10th position, winning six Silver Medals and 20 Medals for Excellence.
NIFT played an important role in India’s performance, with its representatives competing in Fashion Technology, Digital Interactive Media Design, Retail Sales and Visual Merchandising. Participants from the institute secured two Silver Medals and one Medal for Excellence across three skill categories, highlighting the growing importance of specialised fashion education in the global skills ecosystem.
NIFT Achieves Recognition Across Four Skill Areas
Fashion Technology has remained an important part of NIFT’s WorldSkills participation since the institute first entered the competition in 2011. At the Shanghai edition, Ms. Vidhi Niravkumar Suthar, a Fashion Design graduate from NIFT Gandhinagar, represented India in Fashion Technology and earned a Medal for Excellence.
Her preparation included an intensive four-month training programme conducted at NIFT New Delhi. The training was led by Prof. (Dr.) Monika Gupta, Indian Expert, along with the NIFT training team. With extensive experience in fashion design and WorldSkills competitions, Prof. Gupta provided technical mentoring and helped prepare the participant for the demanding international competition.
The training programme focused on precision, technical expertise, international occupational standards and the ability to deliver high-quality work under competitive conditions.
NIFT also registered strong performances in two emerging skill categories. Mr. Kovid Ajay Gangrade from NIFT Mumbai won a Silver Medal in Digital Interactive Media Design, while Ms. Saniya Joshi from NIFT Panchkula secured a Silver Medal in Retail Sales.
The achievements in these categories underline the changing landscape of the fashion and creative sectors. Digital technologies, online platforms, customer engagement and retail experiences are increasingly becoming integral to the industry. The inclusion of such skills at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 reflects this broader transformation.
NIFT’s representation was further strengthened by Ms. Anuja Ajay Vare from NIFT Bengaluru, who competed for India in Visual Merchandising.
Global Exposure Strengthens Skill Development
For NIFT, participation in WorldSkills extends beyond competing for medals. The international platform provides students with opportunities to work against global occupational standards and understand evolving industry practices. It also exposes participants to emerging technologies, international benchmarks and professional expectations in their respective fields.
Such exposure can contribute to improvements in training and education by enabling institutions to assess their methodologies against international practices. The experience gained by students and experts can subsequently support the integration of global approaches into academic programmes and skill-development initiatives.
The institute’s performance at Shanghai 2026 also demonstrates the increasing convergence of fashion with technology, creativity, retail and digital communication. As the industry evolves, professionals are expected to combine specialised technical knowledge with digital capabilities and an understanding of customer-focused business environments.
NIFT congratulated its students, experts, trainers and officials, along with the Ministry of Textiles and all stakeholders involved in preparing the Indian participants for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.
The institute’s performance, featuring two Silver Medals and a Medal for Excellence, adds to India’s achievements at the global skills competition and highlights the contribution of specialised fashion education to India’s growing presence on the international skills stage.
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Author: Shivam
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