The Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) has concluded the National Automobile Olympiad (NAO) 2025, a three-day event held from December 17-19, 2025, at Toyota Kirloskar Motor's manufacturing facility in Bidadi, Karnataka. The initiative was conducted in partnership with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and the Toyota Technical Training Institute.
The olympiad attracted 175 participants from Classes VI to XII, selected from over 1,36,000 students representing schools across India and the United Arab Emirates. The programme featured industry masterclasses, competitive assessments, and practical training sessions focused on automotive fundamentals, robotics, welding precision, and emerging mobility technologies.
The event was inaugurated by FR Singhvi, Mentor ASDC, Padmanabha, Executive Vice President and Director at TKM, and Arindam Lahiri, CEO of ASDC. The closing ceremony included Vinkesh Gulati, Chairperson of ASDC, G. Shankara, Executive Vice President at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Dr. Biswajeet Saha, Director of Training and Skill Education at CBSE.
Dr. Saha noted that the olympiad aligns with CBSE's focus on experiential and skill-based learning, providing students exposure to industry practices. Gulati described the event as a platform to direct young talent toward the automotive sector, while Shankara emphasized the company's commitment to supporting skill development through experiential learning.
Winners were announced across three grade categories. In the Grade 6-8 category, Abeer Verma from The Oriental School, Bhopal, secured first place. For Grade 9-10, Anchit Sahai from Wisdom World School, Maharashtra, took the top position. Nishanth Sudhakar from Chennai Public School won in the Grade 11-12 category.
The programme included plant visits, interactions with industry professionals, and exposure to hybrid vehicles, data science, and augmented and virtual reality tools. Over 150 parents and teachers also participated in the industry immersion activities alongside the students.