The governing council of MPISC plays a pivotal role in the success of skill competitions. It acts as the guiding force, ensuring the event’s smooth operation, integrity, and relevance to industry needs. The council comprises key stakeholders from industry, academia, and skill ecosystem, bringing diverse perspectives to the table. They define competition rules, select judges, oversee skill standards, and collaborate with partners to enhance the event’s impact. By fostering industry-academia linkages, the council bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills, making the competition a valuable platform for aspiring professionals.
Their strategic guidance ensures the competition remains aligned with evolving industry trends and contributes to the development of a highly skilled workforce.
Mr. K. Venugopalan
Mr. K. Venugopalan completed his Mechanical Engineering degree at Kerala University in 1969, and in 1973, he obtained his Master’s degree in Tool Engineering from Central Institute of Tool Design in Hyderabad. At MICO-BOSCH, he started his career as a design engineer. After that, he agreed to become a faculty member at the Danish Tool Room and Training Centre in Delhi. joined the Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) in 1982 as the manager training program for the PG program. Over the course of 42 years, he progressed through the ranks to become the principal, director, and COO of the organisation. He possesses the exceptional distinction of serving as India’s Technical Delegate to the World Skill Internationals, which took place in Canada in 2009, London in 2011, Germany in 2013, and Brazil in 2015. In appreciation of his outstanding service to World Skill International, World Skill International has nominated him to be an Honorary Member. Only nine persons worldwide were able to claim this distinction in 2017.
Capt. Kaustav Nath
Capt. Kaustav Nath is the Founding Partner of MindPhoenix Advisory Services LLP (MPASL), a company committed to using Education and Skill to empower the underprivileged and marginalised. In addition, one of MPASL’s core values and missions is women’s empowerment through employment. He was appointed as the Team leader of Team India for WorldSkills Competition 2022. Capt. Kaustav has held various important offices in the Karnataka and Goa government committees that make decisions about apprenticeship, skill and vocational education, and other related matters. Furthermore, he was a member of the Karnataka Chief Minister’s Task Force on the Implementation of the New Education Policy 2020 for Vocational Education. In 2024, Team Karnataka, under the guidance of Capt. Kaustav Nath through MPASL, has bagged 47 medals – 13 gold, 12 silver, 3 bronze and 19 medals of excellence, in the IndiaSkill Competition and has risen to the position of No. 2 in the country. As a Trustee of MindPhoenix Skill & Education Trust, he oversees the Planning, Execution and Implementation of various projects. The India Skill Challenge is his brainchild.
Dr. Chef Avin Thaliath
Dr. Chef Avin Thaliath, A bronze medalist of Bangalore University in 2004 for the Bachelor of Hotel, Management degree, Chef Avin went on to pursue an MBA in Human Resources in 2008. An educationist at heart, he currently serves as the Director of Academics at Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts, India. Having always nursed the desire and ambition to set up a specialised baking school in India, co-founding Lavonne is among the highlights of his illustrious career. Fortifying his education in his field of interest, he took up an advanced level program in Chocolaterie and Sugar at Feves the Choco Creation of Pastry Fine Arts, Malaysia. His experience in the industry pans many years and he lends his proficiency to the art and science of Baking and Patisserie arts especially as an educationist. As someone who believes learning never stops, he has defended his PhD in oenology studies in 2018 and was in The Harun list for the most enterprising entrepreneurs of India. He presently also adorns the role of Deputy Chief Expert WorldSkills International, WorldSkills Expert and Jury Member, Chief Expert India Skills and vice-president for the Pastry Council of India.
Mr. Sangamesh S.
Mr. Sangamesh S. is an experienced and accomplished Cyber Security Professional with two decades of experience in building Enterprise Security Platform Management, Security Engineering, Threat, Vulnerability and Incident Management, Digital Forensics, delivering Security services and solutions to Enterprise stakeholders along with actionable advise to the management, which his core has been on building and scaling Cyber Defense Centers and running security operations. Sangamesh is currently working with Quick Heal as the Head of Seqrite Labs & Managed Detection and Response (MDR). Prior to Quick Heal, Sangamesh was associated with renowned organizations like Infosys, Birlasoft and VBizAp Soft Solutions. His last role at Infosys was that of heading all the Global Cyber Defense Centers, leading the team of 1000+ cyber security professionals. He is a frequent speaker in Cyber Security forums like Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and part of few Special Interest Groups (SIG) on Cyber Security research. He is also part of the WolrldSkills team, representing India as an Dy Chief Expert for Cyber Security track. Sangamesh has received “Kaushal Acharya” award from Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of India.
Mr. Bhaskar Nagendra M
Mr. Bhaskar Nagendra M, is a 3D artist with 18 years of experience in the animation, gaming, and design industries. His career has spanned across various academic and professional roles, where he has served as the Director of Academics, Quality Assurance, and Delivery at the Asian Institute of Design, heading the academic team and ensuring quality standards across partner universities. Previously, he coordinated the Department of Animation at Dr. YSR Architecture and Fine Arts University, where he led academic initiatives, conducted workshops, and worked closely with industry connections to enhance curriculum and learning experiences. He has also worked as an Assistant Professor and Academics Manager, contributing to the Board of Studies for multiple universities and leading webinars and workshops for the Media and Entertainment Skill Council. Earlier in his career, he served as Technical Head at Wiztoonz College of Media and Design, where he managed curriculum development and content delivery, and as a Senior 3D Artist at Polygon Animations, where he specialized in rigging and automation for various industrial projects, including APSRTC and the Indian Navy. He also held the position of HOD Rigging (South) at Frameboxx Animation and VFX, where he contributed to feature films such as “Jugnoo” by creating 3D character rigs and Python scripts for efficient workflows. He is Currently the Chief Expert 3D Design Game art Skill for Karnataka Skill Development Corporation.
Goutham Nanjundaswamy
