Indus Valley Times

2 Students from Vedanta’s sports initiative to participate as part of the Odisha State team.

By Dr Rama Chandra Behera

Lanjigarh, May 25: Students of archery training program by Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina,have qualified for the upcoming Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav. The students- Sanjay Majhi and Bikram Majhi, will be participating in the national-level tournament, being organised by Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture,Government of India and Youth & SportsDepartment, Government of Odisha.Hailing fromLanjigarh Block in Kalahandidistrict, both the students havebeen training under Vedanta’s archery program for 2 years nowandwill be representing the State for the third time in a row.

Sports being integral to holistic development of the youth, Vedanta Aluminium is providing youngsters from local communities with the required infrastructure and training to pursue their passion. Parallelly, it is also building the ecosystem for increasing representation from rural communities in the national sporting arena.The companyhas been promoting grassroots sports in Kalahandi, with theirarchery training program producing several State and National champions over the years.In 2022, the studentsfrom the program participated in 75 State-level and 15National-level competitions, bagging over 35 medals across various tournaments.

Speaking on Vedanta’s sports initiatives, Mr GG Pal, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Limited, said,”Through our unwavering commitment to promoting grassroots sports, Vedanta Ltd., Lanjigarh has cultivated a legacy of producing champions in sports such as archery and karate. We believe that sports not only instil discipline and foster physical fitness but also nurtures invaluable qualities like perseverance, teamwork, and resilience. Harnessingthe power of sports to uplift communities and empower individuals, we aim to support them intheir journey to becoming future champions, both on and off the field.”

Appreciating Vedanta’s sports initiative, Mr. Jagmohan Patnaik, President – Odisha Olympics Association and General Secretary -Kalahandi District Athletic Association, said, “I would like to congratulate Sanjay Majhi and Bikram Majhi on behalf of Kalahandi District Athletics Association (KDAA), who will represent Odisha at the JanjatiyaKhel Mahotsav. In the past few years, we have seen a splendid performance from the children trained under Vedanta’s archery training program, bagging medals both at the State and National level. This also shows the rich heritage of Kalahandi in sports. It is indeed a proud moment for all of us and I wish them all the luck. Further I also congratulate Vedanta for promoting grassroots sports in Kalahandi.”

Vedanta Lanjigarh runs several community development programs within the domain of sports, with the dual objective of holistic development of rural youth and increasing rural communities’ participation in the national sporting arena. At present, over 40 students are undergoing training in archery and 60 students in karate at the SSD High School, Lanjigarh, supported by Vedanta. The company has provided them with quality equipment, professional coaches, scheduled training programs, and supports them for participating in various competitions.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.