Bhubaneswar: Reinforcing its long-standing commitment to promoting sports in Odisha, Vedanta Limited announced its acquisition of the Kalinga Lancers – a premier hockey team based in Odisha’s Capital City Bhubaneswar.
At a franchisee event held here in the national capital ahead of the highly-anticipated return of the Hockey India League (HIL), this acquisition assumes utmost significance as Odisha is well-known as a region where Vedanta has been playing a pivotal role in the state’s socio-economic development for over two decades.
Notably, the former HIL champions “Kalinga Lancers” were previously co-owned by Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), while Vedanta Aluminium now assumes full ownership with a vision to further build up the team’s legacy of excellence and elevate their standing in the future HIL seasons.
Commenting on this landmark acquisition, Ms. Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Limited and Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc, stated, “At Vedanta, we are committed to transforming India into a global sporting powerhouse. Hockey has been one of the pillars of India’s sports success with the recent Olympic victories highlighting further its potential.”
“With our acquisition of the Kalinga Lancers, we are investing not only in the team but also in the future of Indian hockey. Through enhanced infrastructure, grassroots talent scouting, and focused training, we aim to foster a new generation of athletes who will proudly represent India on the world stage,” Ms Hebbar averred.
Pertinent to note that, this acquisition marks another step in Vedanta’s mission to blend business growth with impactful community development while positioning Odisha as a nucleus of sports excellence in India. Besides, Vedanta’s strategic focus will be on assembling a competitive team for the upcoming HIL season by bolstering infrastructure, securing sponsorships, and exploring partnerships to strengthen the Lancers’ position in the league