‘Khelega Bharat, Jeetega Bharat’: This National Sports Day, Vedanta Iron and Steel’s Football and Archery Academies Turn Grassroots Talent into National Champions
NEW DELHI (India CSR): On National Sports Day, observed every year on 29 August in honour of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, Vedanta Iron and Steel Limited (VISL) reaffirmed its commitment to the government’s vision of “Khelega Bharat, Jeetega Bharat,” spotlighting two of its longest-running grassroots sporting initiatives, the Sesa Football Academy in Goa and the Vedanta ESL Archery Academy in Jharkhand, which together have given hundreds of young athletes from rural and mining-belt communities a genuine pathway from grassroots participation to national and international competition.
What began in 1999 on reclaimed mining land in Sankhali, building on the legacy of the Sesa Sports Club, has evolved into one of India’s recognised football development programmes. Established to give talented youngsters, particularly from rural and mining-belt communities, the opportunity to pursue football seriously, the Sesa Football Academy (SFA) has since seen more than 230 players graduate from its residential programme, with 14 going on to represent India internationally. Beyond the academy, SFA’s leagues, camps, tournaments and grassroots initiatives have engaged over 8,000 young footballers, and the academy has retained its AIFF Three-Star Accreditation for a second consecutive cycle.
SFA’s impact is perhaps most visible in women’s football. In 2017, it launched the Vedanta Women’s League, which has provided competitive opportunities to more than 1,400 women footballers across eight editions. Building on this momentum, SFA established its Senior Women’s Team in 2023; within two years, the team became Vedanta Women’s League champions, secured a podium finish in IWL-2, and qualified for the Indian Women’s League, bringing a Goan club back to the country’s premier women’s football competition after a three-year gap. Vedanta Iron and Steel Limited’s deepening linkages with football are particularly significant at a time when several well-known corporates are gradually exiting the football landscape in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Pankaj Kumar Sharma, CEO & Whole-Time Director, VISL, said, “Through Sesa Football Academy and the Vedanta ESL Archery Academy, Vedanta Iron And Steel Limited has brought to fore the transformative power of sport. Beyond goals scored and medals won, our lasting impact lies in giving young people the confidence to pursue ambitions and the belief to make their dreams come true.”
For Pearl Fernandes, SFA’s support has provided a foundation to progress from grassroots football to the international stage. Pearl Fernandes, Player, SFA Senior Women’s Team, said, “Representing India at the SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship and helping the team qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2026 has been one of the proudest moments of my career. Scoring the opening goal against Kyrgyzstan was a dream come true. I believe that the foundation I received at Sesa Football Academy played a major role in shaping that moment, where I have trained on aspects beyond football such as discipline, resilience and leadership.”
Since 2018, the Vedanta ESL Archery Academy (VEAA) has nurtured young archery talent from communities surrounding its Jharkhand operations. To date, 175 students have trained or graduated through the programme, winning more than 120 district medals, 60 state medals and 15 national medals. In 2025, the academy’s impact was underlined when Kuldeep Mahato won a national gold medal, and Doli Kumari secured a national silver medal, demonstrating how sustained training and support can help rural talent compete on the national stage.
“Talent can come from anywhere, but it needs opportunity to flourish. At the Vedanta ESL Archery Academy, we are proud to see young people develop the confidence and discipline to aim higher. Every medal matters, but even more important is the aspiration it inspires in the next child who believes, ‘I can do this too.” said Ravish Sharma, CEO & Whole-Time Director, ESL Steel Limited.
For athletes like Kuldeep Mahato, the academy has been instrumental in turning that opportunity into achievement. Kuldeep Mahato, National Gold Medalist, 2025, said, “Winning medals at the national level has given me the confidence to dream bigger in archery. My journey with Vedanta ESL Archery Academy has taught me that consistent practice, discipline and determination can turn a rural student’s dream into a national-level achievement. I am grateful to my coaches and Vedanta for believing in my potential.”
Football and archery could hardly be more different – one built on movement, teamwork and the pursuit of goals, the other demanding precision, patience and composure. Yet both teach the same lesson: progress begins with a target, and success demands preparation, resilience and the willingness to keep going after setbacks. For many young athletes at SFA and VEAA, the greatest transformation is not just mastering a sport, but developing the confidence to believe in their own potential and the courage to pursue ambitions beyond the boundaries of their communities.
