Bhubaneswar/Kalahandi: Vedanta Aluminium’s flagship “archery training initiative” works wonder for a poor reticent tribal girl student of Odisha’s Kalahandi district by grooming up her promising potential into a national gold medal-winning archer.
The journey of latent talent Rachana Majhi began in the tranquil milieu of nondescript Chanalima village in Kalahandi district where her days used to revolve around school, domestic chores, and helping her mother Champa Majhi cultivate their small farmland.
However, the 17-year-old fatherless tribal girl (daughter of late Nabin Majhi) today stands tall among the Odisha’s most promising young archers by being a national gold medalist shaped by Vedanta’s grassroots sports ecosystem.
The turning point dawned in 2021 when the coordinators of Vedanta Aluminium’s archery training initiative visited her school in Lanjigarh.
Even though the feat of operating bow and arrow was entirely new to her despite being a tribal offspring, Rachana’s indomitable grit and guts prompted her to try out, and that quietly etched the beginning of her remarkable transformation from a village school to the state and national level podiums.
Once enrolled into Vedanta Aluminium’s archery training initiative, Rachana entered a structured environment with access to proper equipment, nutrition support, and guided coaching. Owing to her calmness and concerted efforts, her strong learning ability stood out immediately.
Rachana’s coach, Shambhu Nath Parida, beams, “Rachana has a rare steadiness. Even when the pressure is high, she stays composed. She learns fast, adapts quickly, and carries a maturity beyond her age.”
Thus, her potential translated swiftly into results:
In 2022, she won Silver at the Open State Championship, her first major breakthrough.
By 2024, she secured Gold at the School State Championship and another Silver at the Open State Championship.
In 2025, she claimed Gold at the SGFI Council National Games, followed by selection for the Sub-Junior National Championship, marking her arrival on the national stage.
Need to be mentioned that, Vedanta Aluminium’s archery programme, launched in 2018 in Lanjigarh, now trains more than 300 rural and tribal children, offering national-level coaching, modern equipment, exposure opportunities, and mentoring from Olympian Rahul Banerjee. The programme is designed to create a pipeline of athletes from regions where sporting infrastructure is limited and talent often remains undiscovered.
Speaking about the programme’s impact, Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, CEO, Vedanta Alumina Business, said, “Rachana’s journey reflects what is possible when opportunity reaches the grassroots. Our goal is to empower young talent from rural communities by giving them the coaching, exposure and support they need to dream and achieve.”
