Vedanta Sesa Goa’ Flagship CSR Initiatives Acknowledged for Social Impact
Vedanta Sesa Goa’s flagship CSR initiatives Sesa Football Academy (SFA) and Sesa Technical School (STS) have recently been acknowledged for their significant contribution to the societal progress & youth & women empowerment. The awards highlight the impactful contributions of SFA & STS to sports promotion and youth skilling in particular.
At the 11th National CSR Summit & CSR Times Awards 2024, SFA was conferred with the CSR Times Award in the Sports Promotion category. This recognition acknowledges SFA’s contributions to advancing football in Goa and across India, with a special focus on promoting women’s football. SFA was selected for this award from over 135 nominations, underscoring its role in nurturing grassroots talent and fostering the growth of football in the region.
The award was presented by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, underscoring the importance of SFA’s role in enhancing the sporting landscape and creating opportunities for aspiring athletes.The award was received by Ms. Leena Verenkar, Head-CSR, Sesa Goa & Mr. Melroy Moura, Head-Operations, SFA.
Established in 1999, in 25 years since then , SFA has nurtured almost 200 footballing careers with 11 players having played for India. SFA focuses on grassroots football by providing residential services to the budding talent from the rural areas of Goa. Currently, the SFA Senior Men’s Team is competing at the I-League Playoffs which underscores the immense progress made by it over the years. In addition to age group football for men and boys, SFA also supports women’s and girls football through the Vedanta Women’s League and the girls football centres at Amona and Bicholim.So far seven seasons of VWL have been successfully organised and this has supported over 1000 women footballers.
Additionally, Sesa Technical School (STS), was honored as the ‘Best Skill Development Programme Initiative of the Year’ at the 11th Corporate Social Responsibility Summit & Awards, organized by UBS Forums. Recognized in the ‘Youth Skilling’ category, STS received this prestigious award for its contribution to providing industry-relevant technical education and fostering self-reliance. Mr, Gajendra Alarnicar, Principal, received the award om the institute’s behalf. Through its vocational training programs, which are affiliated with the National and State Councils of Vocational Training, STS has provided skill training to almost 2000 youth, boys and girls included, since its inception in 1994. It also runs women specific courses for both technical and IT streams.
Speaking on the occasion, Navin Jaju, CEO,Sesa Goa said “We are deeply honored by the recognition of both Sesa Football Academy and Sesa Technical School at these prestigious platforms. These awards stand as a testament to our unwavering commitment to community empowerment through transformative initiatives in sports and education. Sesa Football Academy continues to shape the future of football in India by nurturing talent from the grassroots, while Sesa Technical School equips young minds with the skills necessary to thrive in a dynamic world. At Vedanta, we believe in the power of opportunity, and these recognitions inspire us to further our mission of creating lasting, positive change in the lives of individuals and communities.”
Ms Leena Verenkar, Head CSR, Sesa Goa, said that “At Vedanta, we take immense pride in the transformative impact of both Sesa Football Academy (SFA) and Sesa Technical School (STS). Through SFA, we are nurturing young football talent by providing them with world-class training and holistic development, empowering them to excel both on and off the field. Similarly, STS is equipping students with technical expertise and hands-on skills that open doors to rewarding careers. Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to developing the potential of our youth, fostering growth, and building brighter futures for our communities.”
Vedanta Sesa Goa is committed to creating genuine digital pathways that benefit youth in rural areas, fostering progress and opportunity. Through its flagship initiative, Sesa Football Academy (SFA), Sesa Goa extends this commitment by empowering young athletes with world-class football training, particularly focusing on grassroots talent from rural communities. SFA not only nurtures future football stars but also contributes to the holistic development of these individuals, ensuring they are equipped with skills, discipline, and leadership qualities that will serve them well both on and off the field. By promoting sports alongside digital education, Sesa Goa continues to drive socio-economic development in rural India.
About Vedanta Cares
Vedanta is committed to reinvest in the social good of its neighbourhood communities and the nation. The Group’s flagship CSR project, Nand Ghar, is a network of model anganwadis where the thrust is on inclusive development of women and children at the grassroots level. The Group CSR initiative comprises of seven key verticals – Education, Healthcare, Water and Sanitation, Sustainable Livelihood, Skilling, Sports & Culture and Employee Volunteering. Vedanta Foundation, a philanthropic initiative of Vedanta Group is focused on skill development and vocational training programmes for the underprivileged to make them employable. A key healthcare speciality CSR project is the Balco Medical Center, a 200-bed state-of-the-art Cancer care hospital located in New Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The company supports grassroots level sports through their Football academies in Goa and Udaipur.
About Vedanta Limited
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa, Namibia, and Australia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing to India’s growth story, currently contributing 1 percent of India’s GDP. The company is among the top private sector contributors to the exchequer with the highest ever contribution of INR 42,560 Crore in FY 2019. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment and on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company has been conferred the CII-ITC Sustainability Award, the FICCI CSR Award, Dun & Bradstreet Awards in Metals & Mining, and certified as a Great Place to Work. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
About SESA Football Academy
An initiative of SESA Community Development Foundation (SCDF), SESA Football Academy (SFA) was founded in 1999 for the holistic development of the local youths through football. The academy has created the conditions for discovering, creating and building talent for football. SFA does not restrict itself to football trainings but involves in a long term residential program which takes care of the formal education, skill development of the trainees during the four-year training period.
The academy has a strong focus on women empowerment through football. Since inception, SFA has trained around 200 footballers and has made tremendous impact on the football fraternity in Goa as well as across India. The graduates from SFA are serving in the national teams, Indian Super League (ISL), I-League clubs of India and clubs in Goa. 7 players have earned the national team cap and several players played the elite ISL.