“PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN TO ACHIEVE THIS FEAT”, BHAKTI SHARMA

 Bhakti to join “Khushi” and “Sakhi” campaign of Vedanta Hindustan Zinc

“It was chilling cold water at Antarctic Ocean and I could see small and big ice-bergs moving. The ocean was not clear. This was making the passage for my swimming difficult and challenging. At this juncture the ship helped in moving the small and medium ice-bergs and my passage was some-what clear. Second was to ensure that there are no ‘Leopard Seals’, a large fish that can eat whales. My distance was set to be travelled towards the ship. Before entering the water, I thought of my country and I realized this is the day I can make my country India proud”, said Bhakti Sharma who has just returned to India after setting world record in open-water swimming.

Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta Group company in zinc-lead-silver business in Rajasthan had supported and sponsored Bhakti Sharma for this venture. “I had lost all hopes and that is where Hindustan Zinc came forward and instantly agreed to support me. Had I not received this support, I would have never been able to achieve this success’, said Bhakti Sharma.

Bhakti travelled 1.4 miles in 1 degree temperature in Antarctic Ocean on 10th January 2015. She is the first women of India to achieve this feat, beating the record of British open water swimming champion Lewis Pugh and American swimmer Lynne Cox. She is now the youngest citizen of the world and the first Asian girl to have achieved this success. Bhakti Sharma has now conquered all the 5 oceans of the world and she has broken this record after 12 years.

“The crew members on the ship found it difficult to believe an Indian coming to attempt such a feat as the Indian climate is extremely different from those conditions. We do not have such chilling cold in India and thus our bodies are not tuned to handle such cold water”, said Bhakti.

On what next Bhakti said, she would now work for the malnourished children and towards women empowerment in Rajasthan and would be joining Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc campaign “Khushi” and “Sakhi”. Campaign “Khushi” is a non-funding campaign by the company that is spreading message towards care for the underprivileged children in India, for their nutrition, health and education. Campaign “Sakhi” is towards socio-economic empowerment of rural women. “I have spoken with Mr. Akhilesh Joshi, CEO of Hindustan Zinc about my interest and he has readily agreed’, said Bhakti.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Akhilesh Joshi, C

EO Hindustan Zinc said, ‘Bhakti Sharma achievement is a landmark success for India, we all are very proud. Her achievement only proves that Indian girls can do marvels if given the right opportunities and support. Hindustan Zinc is a Rajasthan based company and Bhakti Sharma is from Rajasthan too. In the past also we have supported Rajasthan sports talents and we would continue to do so.”

President and Prime Minister too lauded open water swimmer Bhakti for her accomplishment of setting this world record.

VEDANTA SAKHI - MAIL TODAY - “SELF-HELP-GROUPS ARE CATALYST OF CHANGE”, CM RAJASTHAN

Vedanta’s company Hindustan Zinc ‘Sakhi’ campaign awarded 22 rural women, self-help-groups and NGOs for their contribution towards up-liftment of rural and tribal women in Rajasthan

“Self-help-groups are change agent and play an important role in bringing forward rural and tribal women. These self-help-groups act as catalyst of change and bring socio-economic empowerment and make these rural women independent and confident” said Rajasthan Chief Minister, Smt. Vasundhara Raje.  The Rajasthan Chief Minister was speaking during the “Hindustan Zinc ‘Sakhi’ Awards” function being organized in Jaipur where she was the Chief Guest.

It was a day of reckoning for 22 awardees in three categories - eight rural women entrepreneurs, seven self–help-groups and seven NGOs who have been working tirelessly towards socio-economic empowerment of rural & tribal women of Rajasthan. The awards were given away by the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Smt. Vasundhara Raje.

Chairman, Vedanta Group – Mr. Anil Agarwal, who had travelled from London directly to attend the ‘Hindustan Zinc Sakhi Awards’ function, spoke about “Sakhi” campaign and assured to bring more women in the “Sakhi” network to improve their social and economic condition. He also said, Chief Minister Rajasthan is the biggest “Sakhi” and her inspiration and advice would keep this momentum alive in Rajasthan”.

“Hindustan Zinc ‘Sakhi’ Awards” were presented amidst presence of over 200 people in SMS Convention Centre, Jaipur, that also saw participation of over 125 rural and tribal ‘Sakhi’ women travelling from across Rajasthan.

Hindustan Zinc has been engaged in empowerment of rural women through formation of self-help-groups since 2006.  Each group has about 12-15 rural women and these women are being developed as rural women entrepreneurs, who are now managing their own micro-enterprises. Hindustan Zinc has developed such 475 self-help-groups in Rajasthan reaching out to 6,000 rural and tribal women.

All these groups are popularly known as “Sakhi'-Self-help-groups” and these rural entrepreneurs are addressed as ‘Sakhi’.

“Sakhi” campaign of Hindustan Zinc has brought focus towards the need for social and economic empowerment of these rural women.  The self-help-group training starts with teaching them thrift savings, linking them with banks and then segregating them as per their interests for extensive vocational training in farm and non-farm based sector.

With the empowerment has come the awareness and importance of sanitation, education, health and nutrition amongst these women. They are now regularly sending their children to school.

Rajasthan Chief Minister, Smt. Vasundhara Raje saw the exhibition of products made by ‘Sakhi’ self-help-groups. Hindustan Zinc also screened a short film on ‘Sakhi’ campaign during the function. 

While facilitating the awardees, Rajasthan Chief Minister interacted with each awardee asking them about their success and contribution to the society.  She also asked women awardees to take up cleanliness as important part of their day to day activity and should motivate other people in their villages to follow the same.

Smt. Vasundhara Raje stressed on the need for online marketing of products made by these ‘Sakhi’ rural women. “The products of these women entrepreneurs should be sold online.  This would encourage buyers across the world and the economic condition of these rural women will further improve”, she said.

The Rajasthan Chief Minister unveiled Hindustan Zinc ‘Sakhi’ Calendar-2015 that showcased the entrepreneurship of “Sakhi’-self-help-group” women.

Speaking on the occasion the CEO-Hindustan Zinc, Akhilesh Joshi, assured for further advance training to these rural and tribal women and for finding more avenues for linking their products to a wider market so that their profit margins increases.  He also mentioned that the campaigns started during the earlier tenure of Smt. Vasundhara Raje as Chief Minister of Rajasthan have gained momentum and this momentum would continue with her guidance and advice.”

Also present on the occasion were senior management officials of Hindustan Zinc - Sunil Duggal- Dy.CEO, CSR Mehta – Head(CR), L.S. Shekhawat -COO (Mines), Vikas Sharma – COO (Smelters), Kabir Ghosh – Head (TM), Rajesh Mohata VP (M&C), Birendra Mohapatra Head (HR) and Preeti Dubey – Head (IR). 

HINDUSTAN ZINC "SAKHI" AWARD STORY IN DAINIK BHASKAR ON 15TH JANUARY, 2015