Chhatrapur, Nov 25: Adani Foundation today launched its flagship port–exposure project ‘Udaan’ at Gopalpur Port, aimed at providing students with firsthand learning experiences about port operations, maritime activities.

The programme was formally inaugurated by Sibasish Baral, Chhatrapur Sub-Collector, and Prashanta Patra, Business Head, Gopalpur Port who jointly flagged off the first batch of students.

As part of the inaugural event, 40 girl students from Class 9 and 10 of Chhatrapur Govt Girls’ High School visited various operational zones of the port. During the exposure visit, students toured the jetty area, observed modern cargo-handling machinery and interacted with experienced port officials to understand operational processes.

They also engaged with the Marine department team to learn about maritime transport, import–export commodities and ship navigation systems. A major highlight for the students was the opportunity to see the recently berthed naval warship INS Khanjar which generated tremendous excitement and curiosity.

Speaking on the occasion, Prashanta Patra shared that the inspiration behind the Udaan programme traces back to Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani’s childhood visit to Kandla Port—a visit that sparked his dream of building world-class ports for the nation.

“Through Udaan, we aim to foster similar aspirations among students by providing them real-world exposure to key nation-building sectors,” he said.

For the current financial year, Adani Foundation has set a target to facilitate port visits for students of Classes 9 to 12 from government and private Schools across Ganjam, Chhatrapur, Rangeilunda blocks and Berhampur Municipal Corporation. The initiative has received enthusiastic appreciation from students, teachers, and parents.