The Business Bytes
THEBUSINESSBYYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, APRIL 30, 2025
Vedanta-groomed Kalahandi tribal protégé , a promising young archer from the tribal-dominated Kalahandi district of Odisha and a beneficiary of Vedanta Aluminium’s community sports programme, has brought laurels to the state by clinching a bronze medal in the Under-17 category at the prestigious Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav Tribal Archery Meet 2025, held recently in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Organised by the Archery Association of India, the tournament witnessed the participation of nearly 400 talented youth from tribal communities across the country. Amid such fierce competition, Jhuli’s accomplishment stands out as a moment of immense pride for both Kalahandi and Odisha.
Jhuli has been receiving professional coaching under Vedanta Aluminium’s sports development initiative for the past three years. Her growing list of achievements includes one national-level appearance, four state-level representations, and four medals at the state level.
Expressing his pride, Vedanta Aluminium CEO Rajiv Kumar said, “Jhuli’s remarkable achievement is a testament to the immense talent within our communities. We are proud to support and nurture such potential, enabling young athletes to shine on national platforms.”
He further added, “Vedanta Aluminium remains committed to fostering sustainable development in Kalahandi, especially by empowering youth to excel in various fields, including sports.”
Launched in 2018, the Vedanta Sports Training Initiative at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district has been instrumental in identifying and nurturing sporting talent from underserved communities. The programme provides structured coaching in archery, karate, and other disciplines, supported with quality equipment, training kits, and expert-led camps. To date, over 100 young archers have been trained under this initiative, with more than 40 medals secured at state and national championships in the past year alone.
