Initiatives across 13 Indian States focus on education, healthcare, sports and livelihood opportunities
THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 12, 2026
Vedanta Group’s initiatives aimed at empowering girls reached over 10 lakh beneficiaries in the financial year 2025–26, spanning more than 13 States in India and extending to its international operational locations in South Africa and Zambia.
The programmes, which cover education, healthcare, sports, skill development and livelihood opportunities, seek to support girls at different stages of their lives and expand their access to opportunities. The group’s announcement coincides with the International Day of the Girl Child, observed annually on October 11 to highlight the rights and challenges of girls and the need for greater investment in their development.
The initiatives align with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including those relating to zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, and decent work and economic growth.
In early childhood, Vedanta’s Nand Ghar initiative has reached over five lakh children, helping provide a foundation for better health, nutrition and learning. The group is also facilitating access to education through functional science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) laboratories and digital classrooms, with the aim of encouraging girls to explore these fields and pursue careers in them. Vocational training programmes seek to equip young women with skills that can improve their employment prospects and livelihood opportunities.
The group’s interventions also address health concerns affecting adolescent girls, including anaemia, menstrual hygiene and cervical cancer awareness. At the community level, its programmes have reached over two lakh people, promoting discussions on adolescence, the prevention of child marriage and women’s legal rights.
Sports form another component of the initiatives, with programmes in football, karate and other martial arts intended to build girls’ confidence and encourage participation. Residential football academies for girls in Rajasthan and Goa provide opportunities for structured training, while martial arts programmes have expanded to Odisha and Visakhapatnam.
The football initiative has also enabled some participants to progress to higher levels of competition, including trials for India’s Under-16 and Under-17 teams and representation at the State level.
Together, the initiatives seek to improve girls’ access to education, healthcare and skills while enabling them to participate more actively in the social and economic development of their communities.
Alongside its community programmes, Vedanta has set a target of achieving 35 per cent women’s representation across all levels of its organisation.
The target comes amid a persistent gender gap in industrial employment. According to the Annual Survey of Industries, women accounted for around 18 per cent of direct employment across industries in India in 2023–24, while their share in core sectors such as mining and metals remained about 6 per cent
The group’s stated ambition reflects the broader challenge of increasing women’s participation in sectors that have traditionally employed relatively few women.
