Vedanta’s Odisha Alumina Refinery Showcases Women-Led Operations.

Priyanka Mahakhud, who grew up in Lanjigarh, never imagined she would one day manage the Distributed Control System at one of the world’s largest alumina refineries operated by Vedanta Limited.

The refinery, located in Lanjigarh and having a capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), is the world’s second-largest alumina refinery. As a Control Room Operator, Mahakhud monitors critical process parameters such as temperature, pressure, flow and levels through real-time digital systems. Her role involves ensuring smooth plant operations, requiring precision, analytical thinking and quick decision-making, while closely coordinating with field operators and process controllers during start-ups, shutdowns and emergency situations.

Mahakhud is the first girl in her family to study at DAV Vedanta International School, the only English-medium school in the region. She later moved to Bhubaneswar to pursue a B.Sc (Hons) in Zoology from Maharishi College of Natural Law.

Currently, she is also pursuing a postgraduate degree in Biotechnology through distance learning, balancing her studies with a demanding technical role at Vedanta’s refinery.