By THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA.COM|

Chairperson of Shraddha Mahila Mandal, Smt. Shashi Duhan, inaugurates the event; homemakers and working women participate together on a common platform

Bilaspur, 13 December 2025: South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) today witnessed the grand inauguration of the ‘SECL Nari Shakti Sports Festival 2025’ at its Headquarters in Bilaspur. The two-day sports festival is being organised on 13–14 December 2025 at Vasant Vihar Sports Ground, SECL Bilaspur.

The event was formally inaugurated by Smt. Shashi Duhan, Chairperson, Shraddha Mahila Mandal, who hoisted the flag and declared the Sports Festival open. Addressing the gathering, she said that this is possibly the first time such a ‘Nari Shakti Sports Festival’ is being organised in any subsidiary of Coal India Limited, setting a new and inspiring benchmark by the women of SECL.

She remarked that the festival is not merely a sporting event, but a celebration of the enthusiasm, energy and leadership of SECL’s women workforce. By bringing together working women and homemakers on a single platform, the initiative will strengthen bonding within the SECL family while fostering teamwork, confidence and a healthy sporting spirit.

Smt. Anitha Franklin, Smt. Hasina Kumar and Smt. Vinita Jain, Vice-Presidents of Shraddha Mahila Mandal, were present as distinguished guests. The guests were accorded a traditional welcome with shawls, coconuts, bouquets and saplings.

The welcome address was delivered by Smt. Sujata Rani, Head of Department (Executive Establishment), SECL Headquarters.

At the outset of the festival, participants from the four groups—Purple, Blue, Green and Red—were introduced to the dignitaries. Smt. Shashi Duhan herself participated in the traditional ‘Pithoo’ game, enthusiastically motivating the participants.

The Sports Festival features a wide range of competitive events including 50-metre and 100-metre races, 4×50-metre relay, badminton, kho-kho, chess and table tennis, along with fun activities such as matka race, jalebi race, three-legged race and lemon race.

It is noteworthy that SECL has been undertaking several initiatives towards women empowerment. Earlier this year, Coal India’s first women-led dispensary was inaugurated at SECL, marking another significant milestone. Organised under the aegis of Shraddha Mahila Mandal, the Nari Shakti Sports Festival promotes positivity, mutual cooperation and the true spirit of sportsmanship.

Similar Nari Shakti Sports Festivals are also being organised across various SECL Areas. The grand finale will be held in the coming days at SECL Hasdeo Area, where winning teams from all areas will compete together.

The valedictory ceremony of the two-day Headquarters-level competition will be held on 14 December 2025 (afternoon), during which CMD SECL Shri Harish Duhan, along with Functional Directors, will felicitate the winners.