Restoration of Mumbai's century-old museum wins UNESCO Asia-Pacific award
New Delhi (PTI): The restoration of the 100-year-old Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai has won a top award from UNESCO, with the jury hailing it as a project that "sets a standard" for the conservation of world heritage monuments.
The museum, part of the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai's world heritage property, has received the Award of Excellence in this year's UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation that were announced on Saturday.
UNESCO Bangkok, in a statement, said, "The jury applauded the museum project for restoring 'a major civic institution in the historic city of Mumbai'.
"The jury noted, 'impressive in its scale, the project addressed extensive deterioration through well-informed architectural and engineering solutions, overcoming major challenges during the pandemic'," it said.
The "heroic" restoration of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya has received the Award of Excellence in this year's UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, the statement said.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya was established as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India in 1922.
Thirteen projects from six countries - Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal and Thailand - have been acknowledged for awards by an international jury in this year's awards programme.
Jury deliberations were carried out in November 2022 when members reviewed 50 entries from 11 countries from the Asia-Pacific region.
Besides, the Domakonda Fort of Telangana, and Byculla Station of Mumbai, are among the winners in the Award of Merit category, while the stepwells of Golconda in Hyderabad has won an award in the Award of Distinction category.
Topdara Stupa, Charikar, Afghanistan, and Nantian Buddhist Temple, Fujian, China, have also received the Award of Merit, the statement said.
"The awards give people a sense of pride and sense of ownership of their own heritage," Feng Jing, the Chief of the Culture Unit at UNESCO Bangkok, was quoted as saying in the statement.
Since 2000, the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation programme has been recognising the efforts of private individuals and organisations in restoring, conserving, and transforming structures and buildings of heritage value in the region.
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India ranks 2nd in 'future of work' skills globally: QS survey
New Delhi: India has emerged as a global leader in workforce preparedness, ranking 27th overall in the QS World Future Skills Index and securing the second position in the "Future of Work" category, behind only the United States. The report, based on an extensive evaluation of 190 countries, highlights India's advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), digital skills, and green technologies.
India's achievements are attributed to nearly a decade of efforts under its skilling mission. The country ranked 37th in "Skills Fit," 26th in "Academic Readiness," and 40th in "Economic Transformation." With a 59% active AI deployment rate, India leads globally in adopting cutting-edge technologies, aligning with its 99.1 score in the Future of Work indicator.
The World Economic Forum projects a 60% increase in AI-related skills and a 35% rise in digital skills by 2030, along with the creation of 24 million green jobs. The QS report emphasises India's potential to remain at the forefront of economic transformation by aligning its educational curricula with industry needs.
Despite global challenges such as declining venture capital (VC) funding, India remains the second-largest destination for VC investments in the Asia-Pacific region. However, the report calls for further improvements in higher education, industry-academia collaboration, and the integration of green skills to sustain long-term growth.
Matteo Quacquarelli, Vice President of Strategy and Analytics at QS, stated, "India's exceptional GDP growth, developing economy, and youthful population position it uniquely on the global stage. However, comprehensive higher education reforms are crucial to equipping the workforce with future-ready skills."
The report also notes that sectors like renewable energy and healthcare are driving growth, with an emphasis on sustainability and emerging technologies. Between 2025 and 2030, India's economy is expected to grow at an average rate of 6.5% annually, further strengthening its global competitiveness.
Experts recommend increasing the supply of tertiary education, adopting modular higher education, fostering entrepreneurship, and investing in research and development to ensure India continues to lead in the global job market.
