Bengaluru: Five employees of Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) have received Medallions for Excellence at the 48th WorldSkills Competition 2026 in Shanghai, accounting for five of the 20 such honours won by India at the global vocational skills event.
Held from September 22 to 27 in Shanghai, China, the competition saw the TKM employees participate across three categories — Mechatronics, Additive Manufacturing and Robot Systems Integration.
The five employees recognised with Medallions for Excellence were Deepu Mudigerepalya Srinivasa and Jayanth Kariyappa in Mechatronics, Pavan Bhadravati Suresha in Additive Manufacturing, and Abhishek Somanna Shignalli and Vinay Muttayya Hiremath in Robot Systems Integration.
The Medallion for Excellence is awarded to competitors who demonstrate a high level of proficiency and achieve performance scores just below the gold, silver and bronze medal positions.
Two other TKM employees — Tejas B.S. and Praveen Yankappa Hunakunti — also represented India at WorldSkills 2026, competing in the Auto Body Repair and Welding categories, respectively.
Often described as the “Olympics of Skills”, the WorldSkills Competition is one of the largest international platforms for vocational and technical skills. The 2026 edition brought together more than 1,400 young professionals from around 68 countries and regions, competing across 64 skills.
The event, which traces its origins to 1950, is aimed at promoting vocational education, encouraging international collaboration and raising the profile of technical professions around the world.
Speaking on the achievement, G. Shankara, Chief Strategy Officer, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “The achievements of our employees at the WorldSkills Competition 2026 exemplify the spirit of excellence, innovation and continuous learning. Five of our employees winning Medallions for Excellence in 3 categories on a global stage is a proud moment for Toyota Kirloskar Motor and for the nation. Their success reinforces our commitment to nurturing world-class talent and supporting India’s journey towards becoming the global skill capital. We hope their journey inspires the next generation of young professionals to pursue excellence in technical and vocational careers.”
Toyota’s Skill Development Programme
The achievement also puts the spotlight on Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s long-running skill-development programmes in India.
TKM established the Toyota Technical Training Institute (TTTI) in 2007 to provide technical education and vocational training to students, primarily from economically challenged backgrounds in rural Karnataka.
The institute runs a three-year, free residential training programme covering technical knowledge, practical skills and broader personal development.
Its alumni have previously competed at national and international skills competitions. According to TKM, trainees secured a bronze medal in Mechatronics and Prototype Modelling at WorldSkills 2022, while participants also received multiple Medallions for Excellence at WorldSkills 2024 in Lyon, France.
The latest Shanghai results add another chapter to that record, with competitors moving from factory-floor training to an international stage where tolerances are rather less forgiving than the average workshop assignment.
Beyond TTTI, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said it has trained more than 1,40,000 young people through various skill-development programmes.
These include partnerships with more than 120 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and over 30 Government Tool Room and Training Centres (GTTCs), as well as programmes such as the Toyota Technical Education Program (TTEP) and Toyota Kaushalya.
The company has positioned these initiatives in line with the Skill India Mission and the broader Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, with an emphasis on developing technical talent for India’s manufacturing and automotive industries.
For India, the performance at WorldSkills carries significance beyond the medals and medallions themselves. As manufacturing becomes increasingly dependent on automation, robotics, advanced production methods and specialised technical skills, building a workforce capable of competing at international standards is becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s industrial ambitions.
