Jharsuguda, Odisha; May 27 th , 2024: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of
aluminium, recently hosted an interactive session with MV Murali Krishna, the coach of the
India Para Badminton Team, focusing on promoting grassroots sports and leveraging sports
for community development. Mr. Krishna has trained critically renowned badminton athletes
like Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Sai Praneet, and Satwik Sairaj.
The event, held at Vedanta's state-of-the-art township in Jharsuguda, featured basic
badminton training for children and an interactive session with Mr. Krishna, where he spoke
on his journey and shared insights on cultivating perseverance and ethics through sports.
The session culminated in a goodwill badminton match between the senior management of
Vedanta Jharsuguda and witnessed significant participation from employees and township
residents.
In alignment with its commitment to fostering grassroots sports and providing rural youth with
broader opportunities, the company is actively nurturing local hockey and football talent in
Jharsuguda and has organized several events, including the District Mo-School Hockey
Tournament, a friendly tournament preceding the Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2023 and
annual football tournaments for the local community. Additionally, Vedanta Aluminium has
sponsored the construction of a new administration building for the Jharsuguda District
Athletics Association. Vedanta's townships are equipped with modern playgrounds and
sports facilities, encouraging both young people and residents to engage in sports and
maintain an active lifestyle.
Speaking at this power-packed session, Mr. Sunil Gupta, COO, Aluminium Business,
said, “Sports has the power to inspire and unite communities. Through this interactive
badminton session, we aim to instil the values of perseverance, discipline, and teamwork in
our young participants. Hosting Coach MV Murali Krishna is an incredible opportunity for our
children to learn from one of the best. We are committed to creating more such opportunities
for our youth to shine."
Appreciating Vedanta’s efforts towards community development through sports in the district,
Mr. MV Murali Krishna said, “Vedanta's commitment to promoting grassroots sports is truly
inspiring. I’m glad to have the opportunity to engage with budding sports talent at the largest
aluminium plant in the world and highlight the importance of sports in shaping character,
discipline, agility, precision, and relentless determination among youth. Engaging with young
talent and witnessing their passion for badminton has been incredibly rewarding. I wish them
all the best.”
Mr. Subham Sharma, Secretary Jharsuguda Badminton Association further added,
“Vedanta's support for grassroots sports is truly commendable. This interactive session with
Coach MV Murali Krishna has been invaluable, inspiring the local youth and fostering their
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growth and enthusiasm for badminton. We look forward to having more such sessions in the
future.”
Vedanta’s social interventions in the domains of education, healthcare, livelihood, skill
development, grassroots sports, art & culture, with a focus on women and child
development, reach out to nearly 80 villages in Jharsuguda and nearby areas, benefiting
over 3 lakh people in a year. It empowers almost 5,000 women from over 350 SHGs,
provides doorstep healthcare services to about 50,000 people annually, gives educational
support to more than 13,000 students, has planted almost 1.50 lakh trees in partnership with
locals at the community level.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India's largest producer of aluminium,
manufacturing more than half of India's aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a
leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries.
Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023
world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading 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.