Bhubaneswar: The Jindal Foundation, the social arm of Jindal Steel, has been conferred with the prestigious FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) Special Appreciation Award 2025 as a “Socially Responsible Company for Promotion of Sports.”
The award was presented by Padma Bhushan Rajashree Birla, Chairperson of the FICCI Aditya Birla CSR Centre of Excellence, at a special ceremony organized by FICCI at the FICCI Aditya Birla CSR Centre of Excellence to celebrate and recognize excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility.
This recognition underscores the Foundation’s continued commitment to the holistic development of sports at the grassroots level, especially in underserved and rural communities. For decades, the Jindal Foundation has actively identified and nurtured young talent, invested in infrastructure, and created pathways for local athletes to access national and international opportunities.
Speaking on the occasion, Shallu Jindal, Chairperson of the Jindal Foundation, said, “We are deeply honoured to receive this award from FICCI. At the Jindal Foundation, we believe that sports have the power to transform lives by building character, discipline, and leadership. Our goal is to empower youth from all sections of society and provide them with the tools to achieve excellence in sports as well as in life. This recognition inspires us to further intensify our efforts in promoting an inclusive sports culture across India.”
Jindal Steel President & Group Head – CSR & Education, Prashant Hota, added, “This award is a tribute to our grassroots partners, coaches, and the thousands of young athletes whose stories of resilience inspire our mission every day. Our model integrates sports with education, health, and gender empowerment — ensuring that our programs create sustainable impact. Imbued with the charismatic inspiration of our Chairman, Sri Naveen Jindal Ji, a three-time Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and a sports icon himself, we go the extra mile every day under the mentorship of our leader, Shallu Jindal Ji, to promote grassroots sporting talent and prepare India to win international laurels. We are grateful to FICCI and Rajashree Birla Ji for acknowledging our commitment to nation-building through sports.”
The Jindal Foundation’s sports initiatives span across Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and other regions where the Foundation has made significant investments in community development. Through its sports initiative, thousands of rural athletes have received coaching, equipment, scholarships, and exposure to competitive platforms. The Foundation has also facilitated training camps in martial arts (Wushu), archery, athletics, football, hockey, and indigenous sports, with special attention to promoting participation among girls and differently-abled athletes.
Over the years, through its inclusive sports initiatives, the Jindal Foundation has nurtured more than 30,000 sports talents through its CSR projects and has built multiple sports infrastructures in villages, small towns, and district headquarters. These include playgrounds, indoor and outdoor coaching centres, sports galleries, swimming pools, and world-class facilities in major stadiums.
