UAIL Launches 90-Day Self-Defence Training Program for Young Girls

Rayagada : Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL), a unit of Hindalco Industries under the Aditya Birla Group, has launched a 90-day self-defence training camp for adolescent girls from government schools. The initiative, led by UAIL CSR, aims to enhance safety awareness and self-confidence among young girls in the region.

The inaugural ceremony, held at Tikiri Government Higher Secondary School, was graced by Mr. Gourahari Sahu, SDPO, Ms. Biswabandini Bag, Inspector-in-Charge, Tikiri Police Station, Ms. Kiran Samal, Inspector-in-Charge, Doraguda Police Station, Mr. Ugrasen Naik, Block Education Officer, Ms. Prabha Mishra, Ms. Bakula Rani Das, Head Mistress, Tikiri Higher Secondary School, and Ms. Lopamudra Mishra, Functional Head, Utkal CSR.
Also present were Mr. Diganta Mohanty, Head Plant CSR, Mr. Rupen Patnaik and Ms. Satyabhama Nayak from the CSR team, and Mr. Subash Chandra Panda, Executive Director, GARDEN, the implementing NGO for the program.

With the consent of the District Collector, Rayagada, the program will cover 500 adolescent girls from five high schools in Kashipur Block. The intensive 90-day training focuses on three key components: Developing situational awareness, building physical fitness and mastering basic defence techniques, Strengthening mental resilience. Certified instructors will train participants in various martial arts forms, including Karate, Taekwondo, and Wushu, ensuring comprehensive skill development. 

Speaking at the ceremony, dignitaries underscored the significance of self-defence training in fostering gender equality and preventing violence against women and girls. They encouraged the students to take the training seriously and make self-defence an integral part of their lives.
A Cyber Security Awareness Session was conducted by SDPO Mr. Sahu, who emphasized that digital safety is an essential dimension of self-defence in the modern world. This was followed by a demonstration of self-defence techniques by trainers that drew enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Highly appreciated by the community, this initiative by UAIL CSR complements the State Government’s larger mission to extend self-defence training to girl students across Odisha with the goal of creating a safer, more confident, and empowered generation of young women.

The program will be implemented by GARDEN, a local NGO with proven expertise in self-defence and adolescent empowerment initiatives.