Chitradurga, Jan 13: National Youth Day is celebrated on 12 January every year, this year’s theme “Ignite the self, impact the world” – exemplifies the potential that the youth hold in making a transformational impact in the world. Vedanta Sesa Goa – Iron Ore Karnataka (IOK) has over the years developed and impactfully executed youth-oriented initiatives which have had a lasting impact on their future growth and progress.
Speaking on the Company’s youth-focused Mr Navin Jaju, CEO, Vedanta Sesa Goa, said, “At Vedanta Sesa Goa, our commitment lies in empowering young minds through education and skill development. The placement-linked skilling initiative, Job Mela & our digital education & scholarship initiatives have been instrumental in promoting an empowered & future ready youth across states. By partnering closely with communities, we strive to ‘give back’ meaningfully & contribute to the vision of a #ViksitBharat.” to the Nation and contributing to holistic progress.”
The Company being cognisant of the need to provide viable opportunities to the youth to not only develop skills, upskill or gain knowledge but also to harness their skill set, organised, under the aegis of the Vedanta Foundation, the first-ever job mela at Chitradurga. The event witnessed robust participation from over 25 reputed companies such as Tata Electronics, Tata Croma, Kotak Mahindra Bank, L&T Finances and local companies. The objective of this initiative was to make the youth self-reliant by providing them employment opportunities and supporting them to encouraging their active participation in the economic progress of the country. Overall 450+ young aspirants, boys and girls, gained employment opportunities through the initiative.
Speaking on his experience, Prajwal SK, resident of Chitradurga, said “Walking into the Job Fair by Vedanta Foundation felt like stepping into a world of possibilities. The event stood out for being well‑organised, with a wide range of companies offering opportunities that truly matched diverse aspirations. For youth from far‑flung regions such as Chitradurga in Karnataka, this platform was especially impactful. I’m grateful to have found a role that aligns perfectly with my own dreams and career goals.”
In addition, the Company has, as part of its CSR Project ‘Vriddhi’ taken several measures to promote education, support students with scholarships & infrastructure upgrades and by taking steps to bridge the digital divide for youth from rural. It has established, under the aegis of the Vedanta Foundation, two Vedanta Computer Centres (VCCs) & five Vedanta Computer Labs (VCLs) including a VCL recently established a VCL at the at Tikshna Special School for the Blind, which has immensely benefitted the specially-abled youth. Shivagami, a student from Tikshna Special School for the Blind, shared her experience: “Vedanta has provided us with computers which has enabled us to use JAWS (Job Access with Speech), NVDA (Non-Visual Desktop Access) & ‘narrator’ to learn how to operate computers. Instead of a mouse, we are operating the system using the keyboard. In today’s competitive world, knowledge on how to operate a computer helps in getting a job, for visually challenged students like me.”
The Company has also provided support to meritorious students through the Vedanata ‘Utkarsh’ Scholarship’ (VUS), which have so far benefitted ~600 students from 24 villages in Chitradurga, including students pursuing SSLC, PUC, Engineering and Medicine courses. Over 50% of the awarded candidates were female students. One of the recipients of the VUS, beneficiaries Lanchana M., 3rd year Computer Science Engineering student and resident of Bheemasamudra village said, “I have been receiving the Vedanta ‘Utkarsh’ scholarship since the past 2 years, which has greatly helped me to pay my college fees. Receiving the Vedanta ‘Utkarsh’ Scholarship has motivated me to perform well in my studies and to excel in everything that I do.”
Under Project ‘Vriddhi’, the company has also augmented school infrastructure by supporting the setting up of science labs as well as sanitation blocks.
These initiatives truly embody the spirit of this year’s theme, “Ignite the self, impact the world,” by equipping youth with the tools and confidence to shape their own future and contribute to India’s progress. As Vedanta IOK continues to strengthen its efforts in youth development, the company remains aligned with its mission of “Transforming Communities.”