Hindustan Zinc Limited brought together more than 100 children from rural communities and young athletes from its Zinc Football Academy (ZFA) at Zawar Stadium to mark National Sports Day. The event focused on promoting sports, fitness, teamwork and greater participation among children from surrounding villages. ZFA trainees, including players from the academy’s girls’ residential programme, took part in football activities and friendly interactions with community youth.
The programme also began the countdown to the 2026 edition of the Vedanta Zinc City Half Marathon, which is scheduled to take place in Udaipur in September. The marathon has become an important sporting event for the city and complements Hindustan Zinc’s grassroots sports programmes by encouraging fitness and endurance.
Amarendu Prakash, Chief Executive Officer, Hindustan Zinc, said sports can play an important role in developing young people and bringing communities together. “National Sports Day is a reminder of the transformative power of sports in shaping youth and building inclusive communities. At Hindustan Zinc, our vision goes beyond elite training—we aim to create an accessible sporting ecosystem. By connecting our Zinc Football Academy athletes with community youth and gearing up for the Vedanta Zinc City Half Marathon, we continue to foster a vibrant culture of health, fitness, and opportunity across rural India,” he said.
Established in 2018, Zinc Football Academy is an AIFF 3-star rated academy focused on identifying and developing football talent, particularly among young people from rural communities. The academy has produced players who have represented India at age-group level.
Rajrup Sarkar, Sahil Poonia, Prem Hansdak and Mohammed Kaif are among the ZFA players who have represented India. The academy further expanded its commitment to women’s football in 2025 by launching India’s first residential football academy for girls. Its first batch included 20 girls from rural backgrounds.
Hindustan Zinc’s association with sports goes back nearly five decades. The company established its football stadium at Zawar in 1976, and the facility continues to host annual National Football Tournaments. Over the years, the company has expanded its sporting initiatives beyond football to include athletics, kabaddi and volleyball. Its sports programmes have collectively reached nearly 30,000 people. The Vedanta Zinc City Half Marathon has added another dimension to these efforts by promoting running and fitness among people across the region.
Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta Group company, is the world’s largest integrated zinc producer and among the top 10 silver producers globally. The company operates across more than 4,100 villages through its social development programmes, benefiting more than 2.6 million people. Its initiatives cover education, healthcare, skill development, sustainable livelihoods, women’s empowerment and environmental conservation.
