Rajgangpur: Dalmia Bharat Foundation (DBF), the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd (DCBL), has undertaken a range of stimulus measures to foster sporting talent, especially for youth dwelling in villages surrounding its Rajgangpur plant and Lanjiberna Mines. This initiative will create tremendous opportunities for hundreds of youth athletes interested in pursuing competitive sports such as Hockey, Football, Volley Ball, etc.
Aimed at unleashing the potential of the sport in youth, DCBL presented sporting gear including hockey sticks, jerseys, and cleats to 100 emerging hockey leaders of Keshramal Grampanchyat, Sundargarh district, Odisha. Previously, DCBL also supported Abhishek Shukla, a specially-abled international cricketer from Rajgangpur by providing him sports equipment.
“As a business, we continue to lead the East’s cement market and we attribute our growth and regional progress to the communities within which we operate in and are committed to. In continuation of our support and social responsibilities, we are creating varied sports avenues for our local youth to participate, train and excel in,” said Mr. Chetan Shrivastav, Executive Director, DCBL and Unit Head – Rajgangpur. “We are confident that, by fostering a sports culture that involves a shared purpose and providing the necessary sporting requirements, we will be able to encourage and positively empower our talented youth athletes across Rajgangpur.”
In line with the organization’s objective, DCBL has also renovated a playground at Rumabahal and Katang village that helps youth across villages to organize Football tournaments annually. This is in addition to contributing sports gear that undoubtedly enhances sporting efficiencies of budding talent and athletes in neighbouring communities. Aditya Sarangi, a student of Dalmia Vidya Mandir, is one such example. He won a Gold medal in Judo at State Level Competition and he is further selected for the national championship.
Commenting on DCBL’s sports-oriented initiatives, Mr. Bibhisan Barik, a State Awardee Teacher and a District level sports organizer said, “Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited continues to play a pivotal role in promoting rural sports in the area. This is a blessing in disguise for our many youth clubs and educational institutions. I strongly endorse such gracious efforts by the company.”
Recently, DCBL partnered with the Odisha government to successfully host the state’s first-ever International Badminton event ‘Odisha Open 2022.’ Through its continuous efforts, DCBL hopes to reignite the glory witnessed by Sundargarh district in Odisha as a result of its significant contribution to national and international Hockey sports. Eminent international Hockey players Dilip Tirkey, Lazarus Barla, Birendra Lakra, Ignace Tirkey, Amit Rohidas Lakra, Lilima Minz, Anupa Barla, Deepgrace Ekka, Namita Toppo, etc., have emerged from this district and brought victory not only for Sundargarh but also for the country.
