“As India builds the industries that will power its next phase of growth, expanding opportunities for women in core sectors is both a business imperative and a national priority. Diverse teams bring fresh perspectives, accelerate innovation, and strengthen organisational resilience. At Vedanta and Hindustan Zinc, we are committed to creating pathways for women to build meaningful careers, lead with confidence, and play a defining role in shaping India’s industrial future.” Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Limited and Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Limited
On International Day for Women in Mining, Vedanta Group reaffirmed its commitment to building a more inclusive and future-ready workforce, with women increasingly taking on operational, technical and leadership roles across its businesses. Today, women account for 23% of Vedanta’s workforce, significantly higher than the mining industry’s average of 6%, with 13% deployed across mines, plants, smelters, refineries and control centres – areas traditionally considered among the most challenging and underrepresented segments of the industry.
This progress has been enabled by the transformation by Vedanta, where technology, digitalization and automation have made operations more standardized, efficient and safer for all men and women alike. Vedanta’s mining and metals operations are increasingly technology-led, with engineers managing complex processes through digital platforms, advanced analytics and real-time monitoring systems, while mechanization and advanced equipment support physically intensive tasks.
As technology, automation and digitalization continue to transform the natural resources sector, Vedanta is expanding opportunities for women across mining, manufacturing, engineering and operational functions. The company remains committed to achieving 35% women representation across its workforce.
The company’s focus on building a strong talent pipeline is reflected in its hiring outcomes, with women accounting for 50% of overall campus hires in FY26 and 30% of STEM recruits. These efforts are helping expand women’s participation across technical and engineering disciplines that are shaping the future of the sector.
Commenting on the milestone, Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Limited and Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Limited, said “Technology does not distinguish by gender. Innovation does not distinguish by gender. As industries evolve, opportunity should not either. Across our operations, we are seeing women take on frontline technical, operational, and leadership roles across our businesses, helping shape a mining and natural resources sector that is more modern, productive, and future-ready. As India builds the industries that will power its next phase of growth, expanding opportunities for women in core sectors is both a business imperative and a national priority. Diverse teams bring fresh perspectives, accelerate innovation, and strengthen organisational resilience. At Vedanta and Hindustan Zinc, we are committed to creating pathways for women to build meaningful careers, lead with confidence, and play a defining role in shaping India’s industrial future.”
This transformation is increasingly visible across Vedanta’s businesses. At Vedanta Aluminium, women geologists are playing a critical role in exploration, geological modelling, mine planning and coal quality management, while an all-women potline (aluminium production line) team at Jharsuguda manages complex aluminium production operations at one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters.
At Hindustan Zinc, women engineers are contributing to underground mining operations, supported by India’s first all-women underground mine rescue teams that are setting new benchmarks in safety and emergency preparedness. In a landmark move, Hindustan Zinc became the first Indian mining company to deploy women engineers underground after the Government of India opened up underground mining roles for women in 2019.
Women are also taking on roles in night shifts across Hindustan Zinc, Vedanta Aluminium and Vedanta Oil & Gas, supported by strengthened safety systems and secure transport facilities. At Vedanta Oil & Gas, women have been operating night shifts at the Mangala Processing Terminal since 2019, managing complex hydrocarbon processing systems around the clock. Across power generation operations, women are also leading specialised technical roles, including locomotive and safety operations supporting critical plant functions.
Supporting Women Across Life Stages
Beyond recruitment, Vedanta focuses on long-term retention and growth through:
Structured returnship programmes post maternity,
Flexible work arrangements and inclusive shift structures,
Spouse hiring policies in remote locations,
Leadership acceleration tracks for high-potential women,
Access to world-class integrated townships offering quality housing, healthcare, education, childcare, sports infrastructure and vibrant community life.
As the industry undergoes rapid transformation, women are playing an increasingly important role in managing large-scale operations, driving digital and automation initiatives, advancing sustainability goals and contributing to the next phase of growth across Vedanta’s businesses.
