LG Saxena flags off 36 Ladakhi youth, including 34 women, for industry skill training

Giving a major push to women-led skill development in Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday flagged off 36 youth—34 of them women—for a first-of-its-kind employment-linked vocational training programme in New Delhi. The initiative aims to enhance employability through market-oriented skills while creating pathways for sustainable jobs.

The youth from all seven districts of Ladakh will undergo skill training programmes at the GMR Varalakshmi Centre for Empowerment & Livelihoods (CEL) in New Delhi.

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The initiative holds more significance as most of these candidates are stepping out of Ladakh for the first time. The selection of 34 girls is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for empowering women through skill development.

The selected candidates include 2 from Leh, 7 each from Kargil and Drass, 6 from Zanskar, 8 from Sham, 5 from Nubra and 1 from Changthang districts. They will undergo two to three months of intensive residential training in high-demand sectors – Advanced Computing and Data Visualisation, Cargo and Logistics Associate, Customer Service Associate, Customer Service Executive, Beauty and Spa, Business Banking Associate, Food Production and Service, and Front Office Associate.

The UT Administration is facilitating the transportation of the trainees from Ladakh to New Delhi to enable their participation in the programme. The entire residential training programme, including boarding, lodging and training costs, is being funded by GMR under its CSR initiative, ensuring that financial constraints do not become a barrier to quality skill development for the youth.

Upon successful completion of the programme, all trainees will receive placement assistance through the Foundation’s extensive network of industry partners such as Schneider Electric, Voltas, CELBI, Relaxo, etc. This is expected to significantly enhance their prospects for sustainable employment. In the second batch, another 50 students from Ladakh would be sent for vocational training.

L-G Saxena, calling the youth of Ladakh its greatest strength, said that empowering them with industry-relevant skills is one of the most meaningful investments towards building a bright future for Ladakh. “Our priority is to ensure that the youth of Ladakh are not only educated but also equipped with practical skills that match the evolving needs of industry and the modern economy. By providing quality, employment-linked training and facilitating placement opportunities, the Administration is creating pathways for sustainable livelihoods, promoting self-reliance and building a skilled, confident and future-ready workforce that will contribute to Ladakh’s long-term development,” Saxena said.

The L-G thanked GMR Group Chairman GM Rao for volunteering to bear the entire cost of boarding, lodging and training for the skill development programme for these Ladakhi youth, saying it reflected the foundation’s commitment to society at large. The curriculum places nearly 65% of its emphasis on practical, hands-on learning, enabling trainees to build workplace competencies and industry-ready skills.