Wrestler Ravi Dahiya ensures fourth medal for India, storms into final with sensational "pin down"
Chiba (Japan): Ravi Dahiya on Wednesday became only the second Indian wrestler to qualify for the gold medal clash at the Olympic Games when he sensationally turned around the 57kg semifinal by pinning Kazakhstan's Nurislam Sanayev here.
The fourth seeded Indian was trailing 2-9 when Sanayev effected a few 'fitley' (leg lace) moves to pull ahead but as the clocked ticked away, Dahiya regrouped and got hold of his rival with a double leg attack that resulted in a victory by fall.
Before this, Sushil Kumar was the only Indian to make the gold medal bout in 2012 London Games and settle for a silver.
The 23-year Dahiya had won both his previous bouts on technical superiority en route the final.
Dahiya outclassed Colombia's Tigreros Urbano (13-2) in his opener and then outwitted Bulgaria's Georgi Valentinov Vangelov (14-4).
KD Jadhav had become India's first wrestler -- and the first individual Olympic medallist -- to win a bronze at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
After that, Sushil enhanced wrestling's profile by winning a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games and bettered the colour of the medal by claiming a historic silver in 2012 London Olympics.
That made Sushil India's only athlete with two individual Olympic medals for nine years, a feat that has now been matched by shuttler PV Sindhu.
In the same 2012 London Games, Yohesgwar Dutt won a bronze.
Sakshi Malik became the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal when she took a bronze in the 2016 Rio Games.
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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.
