India’s first woman IPS officer and champion of social reform, Dr Kiran Bedi, visited Vedanta Aluminium’s mega aluminium plant in Jharsuguda, Odisha, on Saturday.
The high-profile visit formed part of the company’s extended Women’s Day 2026 celebrations and saw her address more than 1,000 employees, business partners, families, and community members in an interactive town hall meeting.
Dr Bedi, who also served as UN Civilian Police Adviser and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, and is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for her groundbreaking work in policing and prison reforms, shared valuable insights drawn from decades of public leadership. She stressed the importance of living with purpose, integrity, empathy, and building inclusive environments.
“Vedanta Limited is a diamond of this country, and the nation needs more institutions that use resources responsibly and drive growth with purpose,” said Dr Bedi. “Stay committed to learning, lead with empathy, and connect with people by listening and understanding before correcting. A stronger workforce needs more women, who bring a steady mindset, empathy, and the drive to deliver. Do not work for awards. Work with purpose, take ownership, and build a sense of belonging.”
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Limited and Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Limited, highlighted the company’s progress: “Today, women make up over 23% of our team at Vedanta. We are also proud to be the first company in India to operate an all-women potline. These milestones reflect our commitment to inclusion and our intent to create meaningful change across the industry.”
C Chandru, CEO, Vedanta Jharsuguda, added: “As the first aluminium plant in India to operate an all-women potline and the first in Odisha to enable women to work night shifts, we remain committed to equal opportunities. I am grateful to Dr Bedi, whose career is symbolic of leadership backed by action, for energising our efforts.”
During her visit, Dr Bedi interacted with members of Project Subhalaxmi — Western Odisha’s largest Self-Help Group cooperative — and presented offer letters to specially-abled professionals joining the plant. She also toured the facilities and met women professionals from the pioneering all-women potline, all-women power operations team, and all-women locomotive team.
