Shri Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare, Governor of Orissa, has presented the prestigious ‘St. John Ambulance Award – 2008’ to Vedanta Aluminium Limited, Lanjigarh for its involvement towards training and promotion of First Aid not only among its staff, contract workers and other shareholders but also in whole region of Kalahandi, at large.

Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Company’s CEO received the award at the Annual General Meeting of St John Ambulance held at Raj Bhawan, Bhubaneswar on February 3, 2009.

The company also announced to provide an ambulance to Police Commissionerate, Bhubaneswar.

While praising Vedanta’s plans, Mr. Bhandare said, “It is a matter pride that Vedanta Aluminium Lanjigarh took the lead in training 1569 Anganwadi workers in Kalahandi district. Other industrial organizations must follow the path shown by Vedanta.”

Mr. Bhandare also thanked the aluminium company for donating an ambulance to Police Commissionerate, as he requested.

After getting the award, Dr. Mukesh Kumar said, “Vedanta is committed towards improvement in overall healthcare of people and its stakeholders. And our initiatives aimed at building a group of first aid volunteers will help in saving life, during calamity or accidents”.

This is the second successive year the company has got the St. John Ambulance Award. The company also turned the first industrial house in Orissa become Associate Life Member of this international non-profit organization.

Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), Lanjigarh is one among the few corporate in Orissa who are committed for First Aid Training and promotion. The Company has been keenly involved in this movement since 2006.

In the year 2007, VAL has created 300 first aid volunteers among its own staff through first aid training, together with St. John Ambulance. In 2008, the company had imparted training to 450 of its employees including contract employees and drivers. Similarly, in order to spread the message of first aid and create a band of volunteers through out Kalahandi district, the company supported training on first aid and lifesaving skills to 1569 Anganwadi workers and supervisors in the district.

VAL, Lanjigarh has also been recognized as a training center by St. John Ambulance to conduct first aid training programs for its employees as well as other community members.

Moreover, the company is actively involved in improvement of health, safety, and environment for its employees as well as community members. This award is a recognisition of VAL’s efforts in the area of creating awareness about health and preventive measures for controlling diseases like Malaria, Cholera, and Malnutrition etc. Recently, the company has been awarded OHSAS 18001 certificate for its health and safety management system. St. John Ambulance is a leading provider of first aid training in the world.