Vedanta Aluminium has marked a historic milestone by deploying Odisha's first all-women power operations team at its mega aluminium manufacturing facility in Jharsuguda. The team has been entrusted with managing a 135 MW thermal power generation unit, reinforcing the company commitment to fostering workplace diversity and accelerating gender inclusion across India's mining and metals industry in the lead-up to Women's Day 2026.

Modern aluminum smelters depend on a continuous and reliable energy supply to ensure seamless production, making power operations a mission-critical component of the manufacturing process. Vedanta Aluminium operates one of the largest aluminum plants in the region at Jharsuguda, with a total power generation capacity of 3615 MW. This includes four units of 600 MW each and nine units of 135 MW each. The newly formed all-women team will oversee the complete day-to-day functioning of one of these 135 MW units, demonstrating technical excellence and operational leadership in heavy industry.

The initiative has been implemented in partnership with business partner NGSL, with qualified female engineers onboarded across a range of operations and maintenance roles. These roles include desk engineers, turbine operators, mill operators, switchgear operators, and other key technical positions. The team comprises professionals from diverse engineering disciplines such as electrical and mechanical engineering. To ensure operational readiness and leadership capability, the selected engineers will undergo an intensive six-month training program combining on-site exposure with structured classroom learning focused on technical, operational, and leadership development.

Rajiv Kumar, CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, highlighted the broader significance of the initiative. He stated that the move demonstrates that women are not only participating in heavy industry but are leading critical operations. Entrusting a 135 MW power unit to an all-women team underscores the company belief that capability defines leadership. He further emphasized that as the company progresses toward its goal of achieving 30 percent women representation by 2030, it remains committed to setting new benchmarks for inclusive industrial growth in India.

The milestone aligns with encouraging trends in Odisha workforce participation. According to the Odisha Economic Survey 2025-26, the state female labor force participation rate has increased significantly from 37.6 percent in 2022 to 48.7 percent in 2024, surpassing the national average. Vedanta Aluminium has been actively contributing to this momentum by creating meaningful opportunities for women in core industrial operations at Jharsuguda.

The company has already achieved several pioneering milestones in gender inclusion. These include establishing India's first all-women potline team, forming its first all-women locomotive crew, and launching Agnivahini, an all-women fire and emergency response team. It also became the first company in Odisha to introduce women employees into night shift operations through the Shree Shakti initiative. Beyond operational roles, Vedanta Aluminium supports women employees across different life stages with flexible work arrangements, including a no-questions Asked about the work-from-home policy and offers tailored development programs to identify and nurture high-potential women leaders.

With the deployment of Odisha's first all-women power operations team, Vedanta Aluminium continues to redefine leadership in heavy industry while strengthening its commitment to diversity, operational excellence, and sustainable industrial growth in India.