Vedanta’s Sports Initiatives Impact 3 Lakh People in FY26

New Delhi, August 29, 2026: Vedanta Group’s sports initiatives reached 3 lakh people in FY26, with programmes spanning football, archery, hockey, padel and mass-participation events across 13 states, the company said on National Sports Day.

The Group currently runs nearly 20 sports initiatives focused on grassroots talent development, structured training, competitive opportunities and community participation. Its approach covers three areas: nurturing talent, enabling sporting excellence and using sports participation to support wider social outcomes.

Developing Grassroots Talent

Vedanta’s football programmes through the Zinc Football Academy in Rajasthan and Sesa Football Academy in Goa provide structured training and competitive opportunities for young players, including women athletes. Zinc Football Academy has emerged as champion of the Rajasthan State Senior Men’s and Women’s Leagues, while Sesa Football Academy’s Senior Women’s Team has qualified for the Indian Women’s League.

In archery, Vedanta’s programmes in Bokaro, Jharkhand, and Lanjigarh, Odisha, train more than 300 athletes annually, with a focus on young people from rural and tribal communities. Athletes from these programmes have won district, state and national medals and progressed to competitions including Khelo India. The Lanjigarh programme has also contributed to Odisha’s first national archery medal after 21 years, according to Vedanta.

Supporting Competitive Sport

Vedanta is also involved in professional sporting platforms. The Kalinga Lancers won the Hockey India League championship in 2026, while the Vedanta Leopards and Vedanta Warriors participated in professional padel leagues.

The Group said it plans to deepen its engagement with padel by developing stronger links between professional competition and grassroots participation.

Sport and Social Impact

Vedanta’s sports-related activities also include mass-participation events such as the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon and Vedanta Zinc City Half Marathon.

Through the #RunForZeroHunger campaign, these events have helped facilitate more than 22 million meals since 2022, connecting participation in sport with food security and community-focused initiatives.

Vedanta said its sports programmes are intended to provide access to coaching, infrastructure and competition while creating opportunities for athletes and communities to participate in sport.