Jharsuguda, May 28: Vedanta Aluminium, India's largest producer of aluminium, has inaugurated a traditional art and crafts training programme as a part of its project Kalakriti. This initiative has been introduced to foster sustainable livelihoods by training local women in various crafts. It is aimed at promoting and facilitating a revenue model for these women by providing them with a platform where they can sell their art and craft in the right marketplace, ultimately enhancing their household income.

Under this project, women from 21 villages in Jharsuguda will be trained in traditional art forms like Pattachitra paintings, Saura paintings, palm leaf paintings, jute stitching, cane & bamboo art, terracotta craft, as well as modern art forms like Mandala art and applique work. The inaugural event was attended by several adolescent girls from the community, who took their first training class in Mandala art by Vineeta Singraul, a professional Mandala artist.

Speaking about this initiative for women, Sunil Gupta, COO - Vedanta Aluminium & CEO - Jharsuguda, said, "At Vedanta, we firmly believe that when we are empowering women, we are empowering the entire community. By providing them access to better livelihood opportunities, we are ensuring women become financially independent. Through the Kalakriti initiative, we are instilling artisanal entrepreneurship in them while also nurturing traditional art forms at the grassroots level. We believe that initiatives like these will help us in bringing women from the local communities into the socio-economic mainstream, while preserving our ancient arts."

Appreciating Vedanta's developmental efforts in the district, Ms. Vineeta Singraul, Professional Mandala Artist and a trainer under 'Project Kalakriti', said, " It has been an incredible experience to share my expertise with the enterprising women of Jharsuguda, who are courageously stepping towards financial independence. Vedanta's initiative in creating such a platform is truly commendable, as it not only fosters sustainable livelihoods but also promotes the rich heritage of local art and crafts."

Sanju Ohnam, one of the trainees under Project Kalakriti, said, "Project Kalakriti has given me a wonderful opportunity to follow my passion for art and crafts while earning a livelihood. This initiative has empowered me to support my family financially and inspires me to encourage other women in my community to strive for financial independence as well."

Vedanta Aluminium is deeply committed to improving the lives of women in Jharsuguda through Subhalaxmi Co-operative, spanning 70 villages in Jharsuguda, Odisha, it is among India's largest women's co-operatives, comprising 4,900 members. Vedanta's supports rural women through skill development, sustainable livelihoods, and financial aid. Subhalaxmi also champions social change, advocating for financial inclusion, women's empowerment, and community welfare initiatives.

Vedanta's social interventions in the domains of education, healthcare, livelihood, skill development, grassroots sports, art & culture, with a focus on women and child development, reach out to nearly 80 villages in Jharsuguda and nearby areas, benefiting over 3 lakh people in a year. It empowers almost 5,000 women from over 350 SHGs, provides doorstep healthcare services to about 50,000 people annually, gives educational support to more than 13,000 students, has planted almost 1.50 lakh trees in partnership with locals at the community level.

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 FY23. 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. (ANI)

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