Bhubaneswar:swa news : In the heart of Odisha’s Kalahandi district, where stories of deprivation have echoed for generations, a quiet revolution is unfolding -through sports. In Lanjigarh, a region once synonymous with malnutrition andpoverty, Vedanta Aluminium is scripting a new chapter. And at the centre of this transformation is a bow and arrow.
Vedanta’s alumina refinery in Lanjigarh has long been a cornerstone of industrial progress in the region. But one of its most meaningful contributions may well be the one taking shape far from the factory floor, on makeshift fields. Since 2018, the company has been nurturing young archers through the Vedanta Archery Training Program, a grassroots initiative designed not just to teach a sport, but to unlock potential of the rural youth.
For decades, Kalahandi has struggled with a lack of infrastructure, limited access to opportunities, and a perception of being left behind. But now, Vedanta’s vision is helping reimagine the region as a hub of talent. Vedanta’s goal is clear: to build a sustainable ecosystem where sport is more than recreation. It’s a path to confidence, social mobility, and empowerment.
More than 300 children, many from tribal communities, are now part of this movement. Some are as young as nine, stepping into a world of structured training, quality equipment, nutritional support, and coaching by national-level athletes. The programme not only focuses on competition nut also builds character. Children are encouraged to dream big, travel beyond their villages, and carry the identity of their homeland with pride.
“This is not about medals alone,” says Rajiv Kumar, CEO of Vedanta Aluminium. “We are building futures. For many of these children, this is the first time they’ve imagined a life beyond the boundaries of poverty.”
Take Juli Majhi, for instance, a 17-year-old who grew up in a quiet tribal hamlet. She once believed the furthest she’d travel was to the weekly market. But today, she’s competed in four national tournaments and won multiple state-level medals. In 2025, she claimed a bronze at the Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav Tribal Archery Meet in the under-17 category, which became a moment of triumph not just for her, but for an entire community. “I never thought I’d even travel outside my district,” Juli says. “Now I dream of standing with India’s best.”
She’s not alone. In 2024 alone, Vedanta-supported athletes won 37 medals at state-level competitions, five at the Odisha State Archery Championship, and seven at the DAV National Championship. Among them, Sanjay Majhi ended a 21-year medal drought for Odisha at the NTPC Senior National Archery Championship with a bronze, a feat that rekindled state pride and underlined the calibre of talent hiding in some of the remotest corners of the country.
To amplify these efforts, Olympian Rahul Banerjee has been roped in as a mentor, infusing world-class experience into this grassroots effort. The programme has also forged partnerships with the Dola and Rahul Banerjee Foundation, the Odisha Archery Association, and local government schools, thereby building an ecosystem that is inclusive, resilient, and built to last.
Simanchal Kadraka, their coach, says the transformation is palpable. “They walk taller now. They speak with confidence. Even their academics are improving”, he said.
Vedanta’s commitment is not a fleeting CSR initiative but a long-term investment in India’s hidden potential. The company has plans to train 80 more children in archery and athletics, facilitate 20 more national-level representations, and win 50 new medals at the state level. This a commitment to the region’s untapped potential.
What began as an experiment in sports training is now a blueprint for grassroots transformation. Through a simple, culturally resonant sport like archery, Vedanta Aluminium is making sure that Kalahandi inches closer to a future defined not by what it lacks, but by what it dares to become.
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