KOZHIKODE:
The north zone competitions of India Skills Kerala 2020 commenced at Malikadavu off this city today, with A Pradeepkumar, MLA, calling upon students to come up with the best of abilities to make the five-day event memorable.
The inaugural function was presided over by Municipal Corporation councillor K Rathidevi at the Government Industrial Training Institute in Malikkadavu, 7 km north of the city. Students up to the age of 21 from the six upstate districts of Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasargod are eligible to contest in various skills in the next five days.
Being organized by the Industrial Training Department and Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence under the State Labour and Skills Department, the event will have its winners qualify for the state-level finale to be held in this city next month.
Today’s inaugural ceremony here was also addressed by State Council for Vocational Training Member Shaji M S, Inspector of Training (Northern Region, Kerala) Haresh Kumar T, Kozhikode Govt ITI Principal M A Balakrishnan, PTA Member Unni Krishnan and Trainees Council Chairman S Jithin.
The northern zonal event is being held in Kannur as well, at the Government ITI in Kannur, 90 km north of here. Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally, who is also the local legislator, paid a visit to the venue.
While the preliminary district-level competitions of the event had concluded on January 20, the zonal-level event will continue till January 31, Friday. The hall tickets of participants of zonal competitions are available on their respective India Skills Kerala profile. Those who are yet to secure it can visit: www.indiaskillskerala.com, download the documents and appear at the respective centre on Tuesday, organisers said
The ITI at Kozhikode is holding zonal competitions in automatic technology, brick-laying, carpentry, cabinet making, electronics, electrical installation, joinery, mechanic engineered lab, painting and decoration, plumbing and heating, RAC and wall and floor tiling. At the Government Women’s ITI here, competitions are on in fashion technology, floristry, web designing and graphic designing.
The previous edition of annual event held competitions in 20 skills, while this time it has been more than double to 42. These include 20 academic skills and 22 specialised skills. The grand State-level finale is scheduled from February 22 to 24 at Kozhikode. The winners at those competitions in Swapna Nagari of the Malabar city will get Rs 1,00,000 each as prize money, and runners up Rs 50,000. All finalists will get Rs 10,000 each. The state-level winners will qualify for the national competitions. The prize-winning performers in that round will represent the country at World Skills 2021 in Shanghai, China.
Souparnika’s Skills
Souparnika P Nambiar has no previous experience of doing floral decorations, but the 13-year-old from Kasargod acquired the skill by taking tips from the internet and social media. Today, the class-7 student of Kendriya Vidyalaya-2, Kasargod, is participating in the floristry competition at the north zone level of the January 27-31 India Skills Kerala 2020.
“I developed a liking for making parasols, baskets and garlands using flowers. I found it an interesting activity when I chanced upon them on YouTube,” reveals Souparnika. “It led me to replicate such things by plucking flowers from the front yard of my house.” That is when the girl came to know about India Skills Kerala 2020. “Soon I applied for the competitions.” And emerged the topper in the floristry section at the Kasargod district-level round.
