Jharsuguda, Odisha; 4 th July 2024: Vedanta Aluminium, India's largest producer of
aluminium, recently celebrated the successful completion of two years of its e-learning
initiative, Vidyagraha, which seeks to boost access to quality education among students in
rural Odisha. To mark the occasion, the company felicitated 17 headmasters of schools
participating in the project who had achieved a 100% passing rate in their final exams as
well as 10 th board exams, recognizing their exemplary contributions to the project’s success.
Building on the progress achieved under the initiative, Vedanta Aluminium has now
announced the launch of Phase 3 of Vidyagraha, which will reach out to several additional
schools in Jharsuguda district. The celebrations were graced by Mr. Prabeer Kumar Naik,
Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency, Mr. Radhakanta Gartia, District
Education Officer of Jharsuguda, and Mr. Sushanta Kumar Ghuta, Assistant District
Education Officer.
Since its commencement in 2022, the Vidyagraha initiative has benefited over 1,000
students living in the remote areas of Jharsuguda. Implemented in collaboration with the
Sarthak Sustainable Development Foundation, this initiative leverages technological
solutions to bridge gaps in rural access to quality education. This is achieved through
recorded lectures and online career counselling for students from classes 8 th to 10 th .
The program provides students with access to digital learning resources via a web-based
platform. Providing additional support to the students, employee volunteers from Vedanta
Aluminium regularly record lectures and conduct in-person doubt-clearance sessions for
students in all participating schools and villages. The program also ensures that students'
performance is regularly mapped and tracked through the web-based portal, identifying
areas of improvement and subsequent action.
As part of Phase 3, the program will also be accessible to students via school computers,
ensuring broader access to educational resources and will cover all 106 schools in
Jharsuguda district. Currently, Vidyagraha has been successfully implemented in
government schools across Shiripura, Badmal, Siriapali, Purna, and Kurebaga in the district.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sunil Gupta, COO – Vedanta Aluminium and CEO –
Vedanta Jharsuguda said, “Vidyagraha was launched to empower students through quality
education, helping them reach their full potential. As we move into the project's third phase,
Vedanta Aluminium reaffirms its dedication to providing rural students with an equitable start
in life. It is heartening to witness such initiatives driving a notable increase in literacy rates in
Jharsuguda. Our educational efforts aim to ensure that students from rural areas have
improved access to quality primary education, which is essential for building a bright future.”
Commending the successful initiative, Mr. Prabeer Kumar Naik, Project Director of the
District Rural Development Agency, said, “I sincerely thank Vedanta Jharsuguda for
pioneering this outstanding learning platform. This project sets a benchmark for future
initiatives aimed at transforming education and ensuring a brighter future for students in the
region.”
Key highlights of the Vidyagraha initiative include:
Vidyagraha App Development: Providing seamless access to educational
resources through the app, reaching out to more than 1,000 students since inception
Extensive Content Creation: More than 200 lessons on Mathematics, Science, and
English recorded and uploaded on the Vidyagraha app
Remedial Classes: Over 850+ sessions conducted in collaboration with government
schools, including 130 community sessions, expanding the project's impact beyond
schools
Parental Engagement and Outreach: Undertook comprehensive outreach efforts,
including 2,000 door-to-door visits and over 2,000 phone calls to parents, ensuring
increased involvement in their children's education
Student Support and Dropout Prevention: Counselling services for school
dropouts and irregular students, encouraging regular attendance and continuity in
education
Employee Volunteer Contributions: More than 120+ employee volunteers from
Vedanta Aluminium actively participated in project activities, enriching students'
learning experiences by creating a supportive learning environment
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.
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