Bhubaneswar: Jhuli Munda, an archery protege from tribal-dominated Kalahandi district as well as propped up by Vedanta Aluminium, has won a bronze medal in the Under-17 category for Odisha at the Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav Tribal Archery Meet 2025 held recently in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam.
While the tournament, organised by the Archery Association of India, registered the participation of around 400 youth talents from the tribal communities from across the country, Jhuli’s remarkable achievement has carved a niche of immense pride and prestige for the region.
Notably, Jhuli has been undergoing professional training under the aegis of Vedanta Aluminium’s community sports programme for the past three years. Her record includes one national representation, four state-level representations and four state medals.
In his elated reactions, Vedanta Aluminium’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rajiv Kumar said, "Jhuli's remarkable achievement is a testament to the incredible talent that exists within our communities. We are enabling such young talents to shine on national platforms.”
“Vedanta Aluminium is committed in its mission to foster sustainable development in Kalahandi, creating avenues for community members, especially the youths, to excel in diverse fields, including sports,” averred the CEO.
Need to be mentioned here that, the Vedanta Sports Training Initiative at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district of Odisha has been committed to nurturing sporting talents from underserved communities since its inception in 2018. The programme offers comprehensive coaching in archery, karate and other sports, with access to quality training equipment, uniforms, and expert-led coaching camps.
