BALCO’s Transgender Employees Outshine Beyond Workplace in Sports
27th February 2026
At BALCO, inclusion is reflected not only in policies but also in everyday opportunities that enable employees to engage, compete, and grow beyond defined professional roles. This spirit was evident when transgender employees from BALCO participated in a national-level sports competition in Raipur, organised by Mithwa Sankalp Samithi, an organisation dedicated to uplifting the transgender community, with support from the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and the Samaj Kalyan Vibhaag, at Swami Vivekanand Kota Stadium. Competing alongside more than 300 participants from eight states, they represented both personal aspiration and the organisation’s evolving culture of inclusivity.
Ayesha, working as Security Guard at BALCO secured first place in the 400m race, shared, “For me, sports is not about medals but about visibility, confidence, and belonging. Stepping onto the track allowed me to see myself beyond labels and responsibilities. Competitions such as these help individuals realise that their capabilities extend far beyond the boundaries they once believed existed.”
Kuleshwar (Security Guard, BALCO) finished as the second runner-up in the 100m race, noted, “BALCO regularly organises sports initiatives, creating a safe and encouraging space for expression. Events like the BALCO Premier League for cricket and other internal tournaments bring employees together on common ground, where teamwork takes precedence. For transgender employees, these moments hold particular meaning, as they offer acceptance through participation and strengthen bonds built on shared effort. I am grateful to BALCO for building confidence in us through such initiatives.”
Alka Nagarwade (Security Guard at BALCO), who achieved third place in the 800m event, highlighted, “Platforms like these help in building confidence. As I have begun participating in company and external competitions, I have developed resilience, enabling me to embrace challenges with greater stride. The encouragement to participate, practise, and perform has contributed to a stronger sense of self-worth. I enjoyed every metre of my 800m race, thanks to BALCO and everyone who has helped me build my self-esteem.”
These diverse and determined voices reflect BALCO’s people-centric approach to employee engagement. Inclusion becomes meaningful when individuals feel seen, respected, and involved in collective experiences. Sports initiatives play a significant role in this journey, offering employees from varied backgrounds the opportunity to interact, collaborate, and celebrate each other’s strengths. Through structured tournaments like the BALCO Premier League, Badminton Tournament, Volleyball Premier League, and open participation platforms, the organisation enables employees to step beyond routine roles and rediscover their potential.
These achievements of BALCO’s transgender employees at the national competition reflect more than sporting success. They represent a workplace culture that steadily nurtures confidence, participation, and mutual respect. By supporting avenues like these, BALCO continues to foster an environment where every individual feels valued, participates with dignity, and confidently pursues personal interests.
About BALCO:
Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) is a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited, operating a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium, i.e., 2.42 million tonnes in FY25. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow. For more information, please log on to
www.balcoindia.com
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Disclaimer:
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” – that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “should” or “will.” Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
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 significantly to nation building.
Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong
focus on health, safety, and environment. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is
focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. Under the aegis of Vedanta Cares, the
flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars have been set up as model anganwadis focused on
eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with
skill development. Vedanta and its group companies have been featured in Dow Jones
Sustainability Index 2020, and were conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020,
CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2020, CSR Health Impact Award 2020, CII National
Award 2020 for Excellence in Water Management, CII Digital Transformation Award 2020, ICSI
National Award 2020 for excellence in Corporate Governance, People First HR Excellence Award
2020, ‘Company with Great Managers 2020’ by People Business and certified as a Great Place
to Work 2021. Vedanta’s flagship Nand Ghar Project was identified as best CSR project by the
Government of Rajasthan. 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.
For more information, please visit
www.vedantalimited.com
