New Delhi: In a significant step towards strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship in India’s skilling ecosystem, NSTI Bengaluru hosted the felicitation ceremony of “Kaushalta Se Udyamita: Navonmesh Protsahan Spardha.”
The event was organised under the aegis of the Directorate General of Training (DGT), part of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India.
The initiative aims to encourage trainees to transform their technical skills into innovative ideas and entrepreneurial ventures, fostering a culture of enterprise creation among India’s skilled youth.
The programme was carried out in collaboration with the Aditya Birla Capital Foundation (ABCF) and the Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS), the incubator of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani).
Through this collaboration, the initiative promoted innovation and entrepreneurship among students enrolled across all National Skill Training Institutes in the country, with NSTI Bengaluru serving as the host venue for the national felicitation ceremony.
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The event was graced by Dilip Kumar, Director General of DGT, who emphasised the importance of nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset among skilled youth so that they emerge as job creators rather than job seekers.
He highlighted that while technical skills are critical, fostering creativity and innovation is equally important in today’s evolving economy.
He further stressed that trainees and institutions should be encouraged to dream big and work towards converting their ideas into impactful outcomes capable of addressing real-world challenges.
The ceremony at NSTI Bengaluru also marked a milestone for the skilling ecosystem, as it showcased how technical training can be aligned with entrepreneurship and innovation.
During his address, Dilip Kumar also appreciated the DGT team for conceptualising and implementing what he described as a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship within the National Skill Training Institute ecosystem.
He requested PIEDS at BITS Pilani to continue mentoring the winners and supporting them in refining and developing their ideas further, while also sustaining collaborative initiatives with DGT and MSDE in the future.
NSTI Bengaluru: Mentorship and Incubation Support to Participants
An engaging presentation by PIEDS, BITS Pilani at NSTI Bengaluru highlighted the journey of the programme and detailed the mentorship and incubation support provided to participants during the competition.
The session provided insights into how young innovators were guided through ideation, problem-solving, and business model development.
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The national-level competition associated with the initiative hosted at NSTI Bengaluru covered five key sectors: IT & ITeS, Automotive, Apparel, Electronics & Hardware, and Manufacturing.
The competition saw participation from 773 trainees across India who presented innovative ideas and solutions rooted in their technical training.
Following multiple rounds of evaluation, the top 15 ideas were shortlisted and invited to present their proposals before an expert jury during the final pitch round held in connection with the NSTI Bengaluru event.
To recognise and encourage entrepreneurial thinking among trainees, sector-wise cash prizes were awarded to the winners. The First Prize carried ₹1,00,000, the Second Prize ₹75,000, and the Third Prize ₹50,000.
The felicitation ceremony at NSTI Bengaluru was attended by G. C. Ramamurthy, Regional Director for Karnataka; Hemant D. Ganjare, Director (CFI), DGT; and Swati Sethi, Director, DGT.
The event also brought together senior officials from MSDE, representatives from industry and incubation centres, mentors, faculty members, and trainees from the National Skill Training Institute ecosystem across the country.
The gathering at NSTI Bengaluru served as a vibrant platform celebrating innovation emerging from India’s skill development ecosystem. It also highlighted the government’s broader vision of empowering skilled youth to convert their ideas into sustainable enterprises that can contribute to India’s economic growth.
