Vedanta Announces David John as Strategy Director and Dr A.B. Subbaiah as Team Manager of Kalinga Lancers

2024-10-13 05:14:19 Business

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New Delhi, October 13, 2024: Vedanta Limited today announced the appointment of David John as Strategy Director and Dr. A.B. Subbaiah as Team Manager for the Kalinga Lancers, ahead of the much-anticipated return of the Hockey India League (HIL) 2024, following a seven-year hiatus. These key appointments highlight Vedanta\'s commitment to building a competitive and successful team for the upcoming HIL season as they prepare to dominate the player auction and assemble a well-rounded squad capable of winning the tournament.

Speaking on the appointments, Sunil Gupta, COO, Vedanta Aluminium, said: \"We are thrilled to have David and Dr. Subbaiah join the Kalinga Lancers leadership. Their extensive experience and knowledge of hockey will be instrumental in shaping the team\'s success. At Vedanta, we are committed to promoting sports and nurturing talent, where hockey holds a special place. We believe their leadership will guide the team towards excellence in the upcoming Hockey India League season.\"

David John has been associated with Indian hockey since 2011, having served as the exercise physiologist of the national men\'s team and high-performance director of Hockey India. As Strategy Director, David will focus on making Kalinga Lancers the top performing franchise. He will design match strategies, onboard top players, and ensure the team\'s physical, mental, and nutritional readiness. Additionally, he will hold leadership meetings to build forward-looking strategy and provide a season-end performance rereview.

\"I congratulate Vedanta on becoming the owner of Kalinga Lancers,\" said David John, Strategy Director of the Kalinga Lancers. \"It\'s an exciting opportunity to work with the team. My focus will be on developing a strategy that blends technical skills with a tactical mindset, allowing the team to make the most of its strengths. Before that, we are looking forward to a very successful player auction where we aim to acquire best talent that the sport has to offer,\" he added.

Former India captain, goalkeeper, coach and Arjuna awardee, Dr. A.B. Subbaiah comes on board as Team Manager. He will oversee communication, team meetings, equipment management, travel logistics, and risk management, ensuring smooth team operations on and off the field.

Commenting on his new role, Dr. A.B. Subbaiah, Team Manager of Kalinga Lancers said, \"Congratulations to Vedanta. With my experience as former player and coach, I am keenly looking forward to building and managing a world-class team that will surely win laurels and millions of hearts.\"

Vedanta\'s acquisition of the Kalinga Lancers is part of its broader socio-economic development efforts in Odisha, aimed at strengthening the hockey culture and fostering local talent. By investing in the team, Vedanta is not only contributing to sporting excellence but also inspiring the next generation of athletes and supporting community development.

Vedanta\'s presence in Odisha is significant, with the company operating India\'s largest aluminium plant (1.8 MTPA) in Jharsuguda, and a state-of-the-art alumina refinery (3.5 MTPA) in Kalahandi. Vedanta Aluminium has created more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in the state, further solidifying Odisha\'s position as a leader in India\'s industrial landscape. Additionally, through investments in coal, bauxite, ferrochrome, and iron ore, Vedanta plays a critical role in advancing the \"Make in India\" initiative, contributing nearly 50% of India\'s aluminium production and reducing the nation\'s dependency on imports.

About Vedanta Aluminium Business:

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India\'s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India\'s aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 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.

About Vedanta Limited:

Vedanta Limited (\"Vedanta\"), a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world\'s leading critical minerals, energy and technology companies spanning across India, South Africa, Namibia, Liberia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Taiwan and Japan with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, Nickel, Aluminium, Power & Glass Substrate and foraying into electronics and display glass manufacturing. 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. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector, is committed to reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 or sooner and aims to spend $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate this transition. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta\'s social initiatives, has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on various social impact programs and its flagship project, Nand Ghar is setting up model anganwadis across India. Vedanta Ltd. ranked 3rd in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023, and has been listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. The company has also been certified as a Great Place to Work 2023. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.