Bhubaneswar: Vedanta Aluminium’s Grassroots Sports Initiative, aimed at developing Kalahandi as a hub for youth excellence in sports, has been designed to mobilise and engage young people through structured training, expert coaching, professional-grade equipment, customised nutritional support, and logistical assistance for competitions across districts and states. The programme aims to build a sustained sporting culture, one that fosters personal growth and creates viable career pathways.
For 17-year-old Rachana Majhi from Chanalima village in Kalahandi, a career in sport was once unimaginable. Like many others in her community, her daily routine largely revolved around school and farm work. That changed when she was introduced to archery through Vedanta’s community outreach efforts.
“When I first saw the bow at 13, I didn’t think I could do this,” she recalls. “Now, I feel confident stepping onto a field and competing with others.”
Her journey has since been marked by rapid progress: state-level medals, selection in national squads, and a growing presence on competitive platforms. Rachana’s story is not an outlier; it reflects a broader pipeline of talent being nurtured across Kalahandi.
Today, around 80 youth are undergoing extensive training in archery and athletics under the initiative. In FY’26 alone 9 athletes participated at the national level, 60 competed at the state level, 73 took part in district and zonal competitions. Three national medals and 94 state medals were won by the program’s athletes.
Olympian archers such as Rahul Banerjee and Dola Banerjeeare helping bring technical rigour and global exposure to the programme, bridging the gap between raw talent and professional performance.
Coach Simanchal Kadraka,a nationallevel archer himself, works closely with the trainees, emphasising the impact of this structured support,
“Earlier, the children had interest but no direction. Now, they have access to proper coaching and exposure. You can see the confidence in how they train and compete.”
Shambhu Nath Parida, another coach, said, “All these students come from very remote backgrounds. When they travel outside the district for competitions, it opens up a completely new world for them.”
For Lina Majhi,one of the trainees of the programme from Karlapada in Bhawanipatna,this shift is deeply personal,“Earlier, I used to feel nervous even speaking in front of others. Now I represent my district. My family feels proud.”
