Shifting the Balance: Inside Vedanta Aluminium’s bold push for women in manufacturing

The natural resources industry has long been dominated by men, with cultural, regulatory, and practical barriers making it difficult for women to enter and advance in the field. However, Vedanta Aluminium has embarked on an inspiring journey to shatter these norms and set new industry benchmarks. The company’s journey underscores a fundamental shift: empowering women in the workplace is not just a moral imperative, but a strategic advantage.

Some of the organisation’s key initiatives reflect its commitment to diversity and inclusion. One of the most notable is the transition of an entire smelter potline to an all-women team, comprising over 55 women. Across all potlines, more than 150 women are now part of operations, already driving measurable improvements in efficiency and discipline. Another pioneering effort is the Agnivahini firefighting team—a unique squad of women employees trained in the complex and critical skill of firefighting. Now 180 members strong, this team works closely with the fire safety department to reinforce prevention and mitigation measures at Jharsuguda, home to one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters. Adding to these milestones, Vedanta Aluminium has also deployed India’s first all-women locomotive engine team at its Jharsuguda plant, featuring four loco drivers working in shifts, supported by two staff members and a gatewoman—breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated domain.

Vedanta’s experience demonstrates that with the right leadership vision, supportive policies, and an unwavering commitment to inclusion, the natural resources sector can become a beacon for gender diversity.

In this interview, we spoke to Dr. Praveen Purohit, Chief Human Resources Officer at Vedanta Aluminium, to explore the company’s strategic interventions that fuelled its progress and the tangible benefits of fostering gender diversity at every level of the organisation. Edited excerpts

When I joined Vedanta over 20 years ago, gender wasn’t even a topic of discussion. The natural resources sector was extremely male-dominated, especially in core roles like mining and engineering. Hiring women, particularly from campuses, was rare; the numbers were in single digits. One of the major turning points was the vision of our chairman, Anil Agarwal, who was determined to see more women in leadership. We’ve enabled women to operate across all shifts, which was previously uncommon in manufacturing. This required thoughtful changes in policy, infrastructure, and safety protocols. As a result, we’ve seen female participation on the shop floor rise to 20 percent in just two years, a significant milestone.  

Absolutely, we’re not just talking about freshers or office-based roles. The evolution starts from campus, but we’re also focused on elevating women at every level—including the frontline. Retaining and promoting women is the real challenge. That’s why we launched V-Lead, an initiative to identify and nurture women leaders across functions. It is a focused program designed to accelerate the growth of young women talent and stands as a strong affirmation of Vedanta’s commitment to enabling women to become future CXOs. Through a rigorous selection process, more than 160 women have joined this initiative so far.

It’s all about creating a conscious path for women to take on decision-making positions and thrive at the top.

The difference has been remarkable. Wherever women have taken on leadership or decision-making roles, the quality of work has improved significantly. We’ve seen clear gains in productivity, efficiency, and discipline, and teams led by women demonstrate exceptional integrity—cases involving ethics are virtually nonexistent. Beyond performance, the organisational culture has become more dynamic, inclusive, and collaborative, creating an environment where diverse perspectives drive innovation and growth.

Yes, this was a conscious effort guided by our chairman. For example, in our aluminium business, we have an entire potline operation—an enormous, complex area—run entirely by women. This is historic, not just in India but globally. We also have an all-women locomotive team that we plan to double; currently, 13 women manage locomotive operations. In the pot line, hundreds of women work across different shifts. These women handle all aspects, including labour-intensive tasks, without compromising safety, productivity, or quality.

The world has changed. Women today are more career-oriented and flexible. There are occasional personal limitations or location preferences, but generally, we don’t face resistance. In fact, our LinkedIn postings receive an overwhelming response from women applicants. Our message is clear: Vedanta is an equal-opportunity employer, and we back that up with our ecosystem, policies, and leadership support. Our chairman insists that no one should leave Vedanta due to a lack of role, compensation, or location flexibility. Attrition may happen for personal reasons, but our organisational commitment is strong.

Our policies go beyond what’s required by law. Even before maternity benefits became mandatory, we offered extended leave, flexible work hours, and the ability to work remotely for a year post-maternity. We also have a strong rotation policy, so women can move geographically within the organisation as needed. One unique norm is that every top leader must have a deputy, and we’re working to ensure these deputies are women—to build a strong succession pipeline. If something can make women leaders comfortable or help them grow, we’re willing to make it policy.

It’s all about mindset. The industry is changing, and numbers are improving, but some organisations still hold on to outdated norms. My advice: start the journey. Once leaders see the benefits—even small steps—they’ll be convinced to continue. Technology and automation have made the work less labour-intensive and more about intellectual capability. Women are excelling in these roles. The only real barrier now is mindset.

Vedanta aims to achieve 30 percent gender diversity by 2030, and we’re actively building the systems and culture to support it. Over the past few years, we have significantly increased the hiring of women leaders across functions, ensuring representation at all levels.

Today, we have 21 percent women directly in our workforce, and this number continues to grow as we advance toward our diversity goals. This number is even higher among our business partners.

Yes, hiring has shifted. For freshers, we focus on attitude and the willingness to learn, alongside strict academic criteria. For lateral hires, technical expertise is key. But overall, we look for adaptability, positivity, and a growth mindset—especially as digital and AI skills become increasingly important. We give more opportunities to women, but merit remains central.

For us, diversity and merit are not mutually exclusive. We believe in promoting opportunity for all, including women and transgender individuals. Performance and value addition are what matter most, but we actively seek to create a diverse, inclusive environment. For example, Vedanta now employs about 30 transgender individuals in important roles, and they’re performing exceptionally well.

We will continue to bring in talent from campuses every year, but the mix of skills is evolving. While core engineering disciplines remain important, we are increasingly seeking expertise in data science, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies, along with a strong ESG orientation. As our business expands and embraces new-age solutions, these capabilities will be critical to driving innovation and sustainable growth.