Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The CSR Journal has awarded Jindal Steel & Power (JSP), a prominent player in the global steel sector, the CSR Excellence Award for its exceptional contribution to the advancement of sports in the nation’s rural and tribal areas. At a function on December 9 at the Bombay Stock Exchange in Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was present when Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave the award to President and Group Head (CSR) Prashant Kumar Hota. Prominent actor Amir Khan, poet Kumar Vishwas, and a number of high-ranking business executives were also in attendance.
Expressing her gratitude to the jury for the CSR Excellence Award, the Chairperson of the JSP Foundation, Shallu Jindal, said, “We are building an inclusive sports ecosystem by nurturing 25,000 rural and tribal sporting talents of the country and making enabling infrastructures for coaching and grooming those talents to bring glory to our countrymen.” “It is satisfying to see our sporting talents are now champions in national and international tournaments.”.
Under Chairman Naveen Jindal’s inspiring direction, Jindal Steel & Power (JSP) has made a substantial contribution to the advancement of sports development in India’s rural and tribal areas. With a primary focus on areas with a predominance of tribes, the steelmaker has played a significant role in supporting the development of over 25,000 sports enthusiasts through its social arm, the JSP Foundation. The Sundargarh district of Odisha is home to about 5,000 aspiring hockey players who are being developed as part of this inclusive effort.
In order to support young athletes in the community, JSP takes a comprehensive approach that includes coaching, nutrition, and the creation of necessary sporting facilities. The company has been instrumental in developing Wushu players in the Keonjhar district by offering guidance and instruction, access to first-rate facilities, and dietary assistance. These Wushu players have won 643 medals in total, including five international titles, which is a testament to the effectiveness of JSP’s all-encompassing support.
Understanding the importance of developing talent early on, the company opened the Jindal Sports Hostel in the district of Soyabali, offering 60 aspiring athletes state-of-the-art living quarters. JSP continues to show its commitment to advancing gender-inclusive sports initiatives by supporting the women’s football team in Raigarh and the girls’ hockey team in Sundargarh.
