Across India’s rural and tribal districts, where many children are first-generation learners and often at risk of dropping out to support family incomes, Vedanta is ensuring that quality education becomes a right and not a privilege. Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2030 goals of universal access and future-ready learning and UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 of Quality Education, Vedanta’s multi-tiered education model spans the entire learning lifecycle, from early learning and school readiness to remedial and school support, and career and job readiness.

Vedanta is driving large-scale, technology-led learning interventions that are shaping the nation’s next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders, through early learning, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based digital literacy, inclusive schooling, and higher education pathways.

At the foundation of Vedanta’s education mission are 9,800 Nand Ghars, modernized anganwadis operating across 16 states that nurture over 3.2 lakh children through digital early education, nutrition, and healthcare services. These centres form the first layer of Vedanta’s education model, strengthening early learning and school readiness by integrating digital learning tools such as smart TVs. The content is customized in regional languages with holistic child development at its heart. 

Building upon this foundation, Vedanta’s remedial and school support initiatives address learning continuity, quality, and retention across government schools. The company is enabling future-ready learning through focused investments in STEM, digital literacy, and inclusive education. In Odisha, Mini Science Centres and outreach sessions have engaged students in hands-on learning, while STEM labs in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand are bringing AI, AR/VR tools, and innovation hubs to government schools. The company’s E-Kaksha initiative has built one of India’s largest digital learning ecosystems with over 1.5 million subscribers and 12,000 educational videos. 

This future-ready learning model combines curiosity with capability, preparing young people not only to learn but to lead in the innovation economy. Vedanta’s focus on school support and retention addresses the challenges of access, quality, and continuity in education. In Rayagada, Odisha, the Gyanjyoti programme has reduced dropout rates for hundreds of tribal students by introducing digital projectors and engaging local youth as facilitators. In Jharsuguda, Project Vidya has improved infrastructure and teacher support for 14,000 children.

“With Vedanta’s support in providing additional teachers, our students are finally getting the individual attention they deserve. Attendance has improved, and dropout rates have gone down. The change is visible in their confidence, learning, and overall growth. Vedanta has truly made a difference in our classrooms,” said Anjali Sa, Additional Teacher, Government Upper Primary School, Mundherkhet Village, Odisha. 

Ensuring inclusivity and dignity, the company’s Jeevan Tarang initiative has enabled over 2,600 children with disabilities to pursue tailored education and livelihood pathways; one of the few large-scale efforts of its kind in India. Localized initiatives such as the Utkarsh Scholarships and Gyanshree Awards further bridge the digital divide and celebrate academic excellence among first-generation learners.

Extending its focus from learning to livelihood, Vedanta’s career and job readiness programmes are creating tangible pathways to employment and entrepreneurship. Through its Vedanta Foundation Colleges and schools, offering high-quality, subsidized education to students from underserved communities. With three colleges and four schools across Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and West Bengal, Vedanta Shiksha and its 50+ vocational training institutes have already enabled 20,000 job placements, equipping young people with industry-relevant skills and improving livelihoods.

“Vedanta’s education initiative changed my life. Coming from a small government school, I never imagined I’d one day be a gold medalist and start my career here. The support I received gave me the right guidance, structure, and confidence to aim higher and achieve more.”, said Rohit Maheshwari, Gold Medalist, MBM University & Vedanta Employee.

Furthering this continuum, Vedanta is progressing towards the establishment of Vedanta University, envisioned as a world-class education city, integrating global best practices in education, innovation, and research. It will be an integrated ecosystem, featuring a multidisciplinary university, world-class R&D and innovation hubs, a premier medical school with a cutting-edge hospital, advanced pharma drug research facilities, and a state-of-the-art sports complex with a modern stadium.

Through these community-centric approach, Vedanta is shaping a continuum of learning, from early childhood to employability, that strengthens India’s social and economic fabric. Vedanta is integrating access, digital empowerment, and skill development to build an India where every learner has the opportunity to grow, thrive, and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s progress.

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Bengaluru, 08 October 2025: Vedanta Limited (NSE: VEDL), India’s leading critical minerals, energy transition metals, energy, and technology conglomerate, pledged to continue redefining corporate wellness and prioritizing the overall well-being of its people.

Vedanta has introduced a comprehensive suite of initiatives to support the mental and emotional well-being of its employees. Understanding that mental health is central to personal and professional success, Vedanta is creating a safe, supportive, and stigma-free environment for women, men and an increasing base of transgender employees. The company is committed to building a workplace where every individual feels seen, supported, and set up for success.

Confidential 24/7 AI-led Support

In a pioneering step, Vedanta has upgraded its biometric attendance system to facial recognition technology, now integrated with Emotion Detection AI. This cutting-edge tool captures real-time emotional cues, offering valuable insights into employee sentiment. These insights help the company take proactive measures to enhance morale, well-being, and productivity.

Recognizing the personal and work-related challenges employees may face, Vedanta offers confidential counselling sessions and has partnered with platforms like Your Dost app, providing round-the-clock access to professional counsellors and doctors. Additionally, trained peer support groups and 24×7 availability of in-house counsellors or wellness buddies ensure no one has to navigate mental health issues alone.

A Safe Haven for Women

Fostering an inclusive and empathetic workplace, Vedanta has introduced a Buddy Program to support women resuming work after maternity leave. This initiative is designed to ease the transition back into professional life, offering new mothers a support system that is both practical and emotionally reassuring.

Under this program, new mothers are paired with Buddies—colleagues who act as trusted partners during the critical re-entry period. These Buddies are carefully selected and trained to provide consistent check-ins, helping the new mother reintegrate smoothly into her role while balancing her responsibilities at home and at work.

“Supporting women through all life stages, including motherhood, is a priority for us. We believe that when women thrive, organizations thrive. Coming back to work after maternity leave can be overwhelming,” said an official spokesperson of Vedanta. “Our Buddy Program ensures that no one makes that transition alone. The Buddy serves as a conduit between the returning employee and the organization, flagging any concerns and ensuring timely support. We have seen this work remarkably well in aiding new mothers settle back in smoothly.”

Vedanta has also introduced a “No Questions Asked” work-from-home policy, allowing all women employees to take one self-care day per month — no explanations required. This initiative supports a healthier balance between work and personal life, underscoring Vedanta’s dedication to gender-sensitive policies.

Power of connection

Vedanta regularly conducts mental health awareness training, stress management workshops, Art therapy and sessions that promote mindfulness and meditation. In collaboration with the Art of Living Foundation, employees are guided in practices to maintain inner balance and emotional regulation.

The company has nominated enthusiastic employees at each site as “Wellness Ambassadors” to host walk-and-talk meetings and lunchtime stretches. Aware of the power of connection, Vedanta actively fosters a culture of belonging through team-building activities, social events, and community engagement opportunities that encourage interpersonal connection and support across teams.

The company firmly believes mental and emotional well-being is not an add-on — it’s the foundation. By combining confidential support systems, technological innovation, and a compassionate culture, the company is investing in what matters most — its people.

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Vedanta’s skill development programs are closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) 8, namely, Decent Work and Economic Growth. They are designed and deployed in close partnership with leading knowledge providers. This is in line with the company’s aim to empower 25 lakh people with enhanced skillsets by 2030. Vedanta’s skilling & training centres footprint goes beyond 200 centres across India with more than 40 technical and non-technical trades offered to the youth including solar technicians, forklift operations, hospitality, sewing, finance, etc. The company’s skilling centres have a 91% placement rate with an average salary of INR 15,000.

According to the Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), among persons aged 15-29, only about 2% have received formal vocational training, and 8% have received non-formal vocational training in India. This suggests that very few new entrants to the workforce in this age group have any marketable skills. Comparative data for developed economies show that in Korea, 96% of the population has received formal vocational training while in Germany, it is 75%, in Japan it is 80%, and in the United Kingdom, it is 68%.

India is one of the youngest nations in the world, with more than 62% of its population in the working age group (15-59 years). Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal has repeatedly stressed on the need to reap this demographic dividend which is expected to last for the next 25 years. In a recent tweet, Anil Agarwal wrote, “…out of the 20 largest economies in the world, India has the youngest population. According to World Population Review, the average Indian is just 28.7 years old and 50% are younger than that. This is a huge advantage. Let’s invest in our youngsters, women and men, girls and boys. They will be world beaters.”

Amongst the various skilling programs, Vedanta’s noteworthy initiatives include Zinc Kaushal Kendra (Rajasthan and Uttarakhand), BALCO’s Vedanta Skill Schools (Chhattisgarh), Cairn Enterprise Centre (Barmer, Rajasthan), SESA Technical School (Sanquelim, Goa) and Vedanta ESL Skill School (Bokaro, Jharkhand). The Zinc Kaushal program spanning 6 districts of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand has trained over 8,000 youths comprising 45% females of which more than 7000 youths have secured jobs in India and abroad. Priyanka Kumari, a beneficiary from Zinc Kaushal Kendra said, “After my father passed away, I had to support my family with only a Class 12 education. Finding a job was tough until I discovered Zinc Kaushal’s skill development courses. Despite the challenges and societal biases, I enrolled in an Unarmed Security Guard course. My perseverance paid off, and I landed a job in a leading security company in Gujarat, earning ₹21,000 monthly with free food and accommodation. I’m grateful to Zinc Kaushal for unlocking my potential and transforming my life.”

Sabnam Parween from Budhibinor village, Bokaro, had to pause her education due to financial hardship, with her family surviving on meagre income. Her prospects changed when a mobiliser from Vedanta ESL Skill School introduced her to a free 3-month Solar PV Technician course, offering food, accommodation, and job placement. The training built her skills and confidence, leading her to become the first girl in her village to secure a job in the solar sector, earning ₹1.98 lakh per annum. Sabnam’s journey reflects the power of opportunity and the impact of skill development in transforming lives.

The Vedanta Skill School in Chhattisgarh, a 5-star SMART Centre accredited by the Government of India has been leading socio-economic transformation by upskilling over 12,000 rural youth in multiple technical and non-technical trades and providing 100% placement opportunities.

In addition to its skilling initiatives, Vedanta is investing in early childhood development and social infrastructure through the Nand Ghar programme, which has now scaled to over 8,500 centres across 15 states. These modern anganwadis provide nutrition, education, healthcare support and skill development to children and women in some of India’s most underserved communities—laying the foundation for a healthier, more empowered next generation.

Vedanta’s endeavours seamlessly align with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship’s vision to ‘unlock human capital to trigger a productivity dividend and bring aspirational employment and entrepreneurship pathways to all.

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·         Committed to Net Zero emissions by 2050

Bengaluru, 4^th June 2025: On World Environment Day, Vedanta Limited (NSE: VEDL), India’s only and the world’s leading transition metals, critical minerals, energy and technology conglomerate, announced that it has increased its renewable energy round-the-clock equivalent power capacity to 1.03 GW (gigawatt) through power delivery agreements. The company is on track to achieve 2.5 GW of renewable energy by 2030, towards the ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. The renewable energy projects include a mix of wind, solar and pump storage technologies. The 1 GW renewable energy will potentially enable Vedanta to mitigate more than 6 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. This is roughly equivalent to carbon sequestration by nearly 350 million trees annually.

Vedanta is India’s largest producer of energy transition metals and critical minerals with more than 4.5 million tonnes of annual production of aluminium, zinc, lead, silver, copper, nickel, ferrochrome and pig iron. Vedanta’s diversified portfolio of essential metals is instrumental in meeting the growing demand for renewable energy infrastructure, electric vehicles, and advanced technologies.  With a growing portfolio of low-carbon products in Aluminium (Restora and Restora Ultra) and Zinc (EcoZen), Vedanta’s products are bolstering India’s clean energy ambitions.

Vedanta’s own decarbonization strategy works on the four levers of – renewable energy scale-up, switching to low-carbon fuels, energy and process efficiency, and carbon offsets. Vedanta has more than 350 high-impact environmental initiatives ongoing across various businesses.  Highlights of the company’s environmental performance include:

·         Utilisation of 2.61 Billion Units (BU) of renewable energy

·         Deployment of one of the country’s largest fleets of lithium-ion forklifts in aluminium production plants, integrated LNG powered trucks for logistics and India’s first battery operated vehicles in underground zinc mining

·         Utilised 44,000 tonnes of biomass, and has enabled the establishment of Punjab’s biggest torrefied bio-pellets manufacturing facility in Mansa (Bhatinda district)

·         Planted nearly 3 million trees since 2021 as part of the World Economic Forum’s 1 trillion trees movement

·         3 of Vedanta’s businesses are water positive: Hindustan Zinc, Cairn Oil & Gas, Sesa Iron Ore Business

·         3 business units are also single-use plastic free: TSPL, Cairn Oil & Gas and VGCB

Sharing her thoughts, Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director – Vedanta Limited & Chairperson – Hindustan Zinc Limited, said, “Our integrated approach to resource management and sustainability is central to Vedanta’s vision of transforming for a sustainable future. As the Indian economy expands, Vedanta is undergoing a transformation that will support the rapidly growing needs of the economy. By expanding our production of critical minerals and investing in renewable energy, we are powering global efforts to combat climate change.”

Commemorating World Environment Day, Vedanta kicked off a mass plantation drive across Rajasthan, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Goa and other states, reinforcing its commitment to fostering environmental stewardship across its operations and beyond. The company organised a week-long series of engaging activities at its business units such as quizzes, drawing competitions, sapling distributions and ecofriendly cricket tournaments, aimed to foster environmental awareness and action among its stakeholders across its operational areas.

Vedanta has been rewarded with the prestigious (B) rating by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for its excellent efforts in water security and climate change, demonstrating its strong commitment to sustainability. In addition, the company’s aluminium and zinc product portfolios are Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) verified, thereby offering transparent data on environmental footprint. Vedanta’s aluminium business is part of the international Aluminium Stewardship Initiative for responsible sourcing of raw materials and sustainable manufacturing.

Vedanta Limited is a global leader in critical minerals, energy and technology operating a diverse portfolio of world-class assets. It is the world’s largest integrated producer of zinc, the fourth-largest global producer of silver, amongst the world’s top aluminium producers, India’s only private oil and gas producer, and one of its largest private power producers. With an eye on the future, the company is strategically expanding its business portfolio by venturing into rare earths, other critical minerals, and renewable energy.

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