On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day 2025, which also marks a decade of this global celebration, a virtual panel discussion was held “A Journey of Skills and Aspirations: From Kurukshetra to the World”. Set against the symbolic backdrop of Kurukshetra, the historic battlefield of the Mahabharata and the land where Lord Krishna delivered the Gita.
The discussion brought together key voices from the skill development ecosystem, industry, and training to highlight Naveen AVSAR (Advanced Vocational Skills for Aspirational and Rewarding Life) – Centre for Multiskilling and Opportunities. This transformative initiative aims to modernize ITIs and unlock global career pathways for the youth. This initiative represents a modern-day battle against unemployment, lack of opportunity, and skill gaps.
Kurukshetra, now a Dharmakshetra of skilling, becomes the launchpad for purposeful action and transformative skill development. The panel discussion was organised by the Naveen Jindal Foundation and Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) in partnership with the National Skills Network (NSN), the session explored how strategic partnerships can redefine technical education, leverage local industry, and enhance career aspirations for the youth.
Panel Speakers
- Dr. Maneesh Mishra, Vice President and Head of Skills, Naveen Jindal Foundation
- Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Director- Strategy and External Relations, Jindal Steel & Power
- Col Arun Chandel, Advisor and Executive Vice President, Jindal Steel
- Mr. Ravi Tennety, Managing Director, Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF)
- Ms. Meenakshi Chhabra, Ex-Principal Sugni Devi Arya Girls Secondary School, Ladwa
- Moderated by Dr. Madhuri Dubey, Founder-Director, National Skills Network – NSN
You can now watch the full recording on our YouTube channel. Click the link below to watch!
Part 1: Vision, Need, and Roadmap
About the Naveen AVSAR Initiative
Dr. Maneesh Mishra, emphasized Kurukshetra as a karmabhoomi, a land of meaningful action and explained that Naveen AVSAR is designed to address the disconnect between youth potential and access to opportunities. Inspired by the vision of Shri Naveen Jindal, the initiative aims to make India’s workforce globally competitive by providing education, training, and career guidance through schools, ITIs, and community platforms.
Key interventions include:
- Setting up modern skill centers like the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule International Skill Centre
- Integrating startups in farm and non-farm sectors
- Promoting entrepreneurship and self-employment
- Offering career counseling and guidance
- Targeting skilling in industry, agriculture, and services
“We must bring skills and work exposure early into a young person’s life to unlock India’s demographic dividend.” – Dr. Maneesh Mishra
Public-Private Partnerships and Industry Alignment
Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, stressed that skilling must align with industry demand, not just be supply-driven. He emphasized building scalable models through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), where government infrastructure like ITIs can be transformed into vibrant, industry-relevant training hubs.
He underlined the importance of:
- Apprenticeship-based learning for hands-on experience
- Outcome-oriented programs with robust governance
- Focusing on Human Development Index (HDI), not just GDP
“Skilling is not just about creating workers, it’s about building futures.” – Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh
Modernizing ITIs for Global Standards
Mr. Ravi Tennety, highlighted, As the implementing partner, NTTF brings over 60 years of experience in technical education. Mr. Ravi Tennety detailed a plan to transform Kurukshetra’s ITI into a national model for excellence, targeting high-demand domains like Electrician, COPA, Power Electronics, and Welding.
Highlights of the roadmap include:
- Real-world shop-floor simulations and project-based learning
- Train-the-Trainer programs to ensure faculty excellence
- National placement networks leveraging NTTF’s strong industry ties
“Once NTTF starts a program, companies come on their own. We aim to build a virtuous cycle of training and placement.” – Mr. Ravi Tennety
The Industry’s Role in Building Talent Pipeline
Col. Arun Chandel, urged industries to become active co-creators of talent rather than passive consumers. He outlined Jindal Steel’s approach, which includes in-house training institutes and community skill centers with a strong emphasis on women’s participation.
Key takeaways:
- Industry must co-design curriculum and support dual training models
- Skilling should be a strategic business priority, not CSR
- ITI collaborations can yield job-ready candidates aligned with real needs
“Skilling must shift from compliance to a core strategic function for industries.” – Col. Arun Chandel
Empowering Girls Through Technical Education
Ms. Meenakshi Chhabra, passionately advocated for empowering girls through technical skilling, calling it a pathway to confidence, dignity, and social mobility. Drawing from her experience in Kurukshetra, she stressed involving families in the journey and using creative pedagogy, like theatre and peer mentoring to help girls find their voice.
She praised NJF’s commitment to equipping girls with digital and AI skills and emphasized that once girls begin to earn, they inspire change within their communities.
“Girls need more than jobs, they need platforms to build confidence and express themselves.” – Ms. Meenakshi Chhabra
Also read: WYSD 2024 – Skills for Youth: Building Sustainable Careers
Part 2: Local Impact and Collaborative Action
The part 2 of the session explored the localized impact of skill development.
- Dr. Maneesh Mishra opened by discussing how ITIs can drive community development and bridge youth with meaningful employment.
- Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh reiterated the value of industry-relevant training, while
- Mr. Ravi Tennety outlined career progression pathways enabled by institutional partnerships.
- Col Arun Chandel, focused on strategic industry collaborations, and
- Ms. Meenakshi Chhabra reminded the audience that empowering girls in technical education isn’t just a local priority, it’s a global imperative.
Dr. Madhuri Dubey, concluded the session with a call for collective responsibility in building inclusive, demand-driven skill ecosystems.
The WYSD 2025 panel discussion highlighted how local skilling initiatives are supported by visionary leadership, inclusive practices, and strong industry partnerships, they become gateways to global opportunity. From modernized ITIs to gender-inclusive programs, the Naveen AVSAR initiative is not just preparing youth for jobs, it’s preparing them for life.
