In India, Durga Puja and Navratri are important cultural festivals that are also an occasion when divine feminine strength and grace are celebrated with fervor. As the nation prepares to pay homage to Goddess Durga, considered an embodiment of these qualities, Vedanta Aluminium celebrates the grit and resilience of women in manufacturing, who demonstrate the values of courage, curiosity and the drive to excel every day. The company has embraced naari shakti or female power, as a key tenet, reflected in its inclusive practices and policies designed for empowering women across its operations and communities.
Across the nation, Maa Durga inspires a spirit of change and transformation. Project Shree Shakti at Vedanta Aluminium’s mega aluminium plant in Jharsuguda, Odisha, represents a similar revolution. For years, core operational roles in the metals and modern manufacturing sectors were considered too physically challenging for women professionals. Shree Shakti initiative aims to boldly tackle these misconceptions. Since 2023, many women have joined its night shift operations as Pot Tending Machine (PTM) operators, process supervisors, and lab experts. For the first time in Odisha’s industrial sector, women have the option of working in night shifts, giving them greater flexibility to manage their time and career choices.
Every evening, these women head to the plant to lead advanced processes, ensure quality checks, and supervise cutting-edge production teams. The plant infrastructure and processes have been augmented to ensure their safety and dignity, and regular awareness programs have been introduced to foster an inclusive environment. These women professionals now embody the fact that technical mastery and leadership are shaped by determination, not by gender. They are breaking stereotypes and inspiring numerous others to believe in greater possibilities.
On the community front, Vedanta Aluminium’s Project Subhalaxmi Udyogini embodies a similar outlook for thousands of women in Jharsuguda. Since 2008, this initiative has tirelessly built the Subhalaxmi Cooperative, supporting over 5000 women today as they step into previously out-of-reach zones such as entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
This is being achieved through projects such as VedMurtika, a terracotta artisans’ collective supported by Vedanta that provides structured training and sustainable market access. Several women artisans from Naxapalli village in Jharsuguda are now helping preserve Odisha’s cultural heritage while also earning a dignified livelihood. Similarly, VedSuta, an initiative to encourage production and promotion of Sambalpuri textiles, supports women in Ragunathpalli village as they carry forward a vibrant legacy. With each saree woven, threads of empowerment, heritage and hope are interlaced into the fabric of change.
Vedanta Aluminium employs hundreds of women in core technical, operational, and strategic roles across smelting, mining, logistics, power generation and procurement. Each role taken up reflects a step away from outdated stereotypes and a move towards greater inclusion and diversity. Women at Vedanta are now actively leading innovation, contributing to major projects and driving change at every level of the organization.
As the celebrations of Durga Puja and Navratri fill homes and hearts with hope and reverence, Vedanta Aluminium is proud to honor the enduring spirit of naari shakti. Every empowered woman plays a direct role in shaping her future and her community. This festive season, the company renews its dedication to nurturing and uplifting women in all spheres, recognizing their strength and their indispensable role in building a brighter tomorrow.
