The Green Guardian

She protects the environment, she cares for the health and safety of employees, she is the Vedanta guardian in residence

Sumathi completed her Electrical & Electronics engineering from NIT, Trichy in 1997. Fresh out of college, she joined Vedanta group as a GET with Sterlite Copper's Electrical Department.

"I have been with Vedanta since the beginning of my career. In a short period of time, I believe I have come a long way from being a GET to being appointed as the General Manager, Health, Safety and Environment. Along the way, I have helped the organisation become ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OSHAS 1800 certified and compliant.

Today I feel proud of having had the opportunity to put my best foot forward and contribute towards the sustainability journey of the company in addition to the many challenging roles that have come my way.

I have had the honour of being an active member of the team that worked towards bringing down the sulphur dioxide emission levels to better than international standards and also improving sulphur recovery in our state-of- art Tuticorin smelter."

For Sumathi, with her combination of technical acumen and determined work ethic, awards were never out of reach. The CII - ITC Sustainability Award Commendation Certificate and the CII - Best Environment Management Practices award, are just a few of the many feathers in her cap.

Fanning Ambition, Fulfilling Dreams

While ploughing fields in a small village, Kailash never imagined his dream of driving an automobile in a big city will ever come true.

"From a very young age, like most men in my village, I had started raising cattle. As I grew up and started a family, managing home became difficult as there was no regular source of income. I could never attend school as I had to look after the cattle I tended to. I always had a dream of someday driving an automobile, but for a simple village person like me, expecting this dream to become a reality was impossible.

Then Vedanta came recruiting and I was selected for the project displaced programme. The company understood my dream and helped translate it into reality. I was trained in motor driving and was also provided behavioural training. I was then entrusted with the job of shuttling employees from one part of the plant to another.

For me, the idea of being independent, being able to earn for myself, is a dream come true. I never thought that in this life I will ever be able to have a job which would ensure a steady income for me. Today it is a reality and I know that my future and that of my family's is completely secure."

For Kailash, it's the little things that are making a big difference. He has a job that he is happy and grateful to carry out. He realises the importance of being on time for duty, wearing a neat uniform and using proper safety equipment. And he's confident that his job will allow him to give his 3-month old baby the future she deserves.