Bhubaneswar, June 26: After serving millions of pilgrims during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj earlier this year, the Adani Group on Thursday announced that it has now extended its seva efforts to the famous Rath Yatra festival in Odisha's Puri.

Known as one of India’s most sacred religious events, the Rath Yatra attracts lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad every year.

Staying true to Chairman Gautam Adani’s belief that ‘Seva Hi Sadhana Hai’ (Service is Worship), the Group has launched a large-scale volunteer-driven initiative to support pilgrims and frontline workers throughout the nine-day celebration, from June 26 to July 8.

This year, the Adani Group will provide nearly 4 million free meals and drinks to devotees and officials.

Special food counters have been set up across the city to distribute nutritious meals, while beverage stalls offer cool drinks to help people beat the intense Odisha heat.

The Group is also supporting beach safety efforts through assistance to the Puri Beach Lifeguard Mahasangha.

Volunteers will help clean the beach and remove plastic waste. To aid those on duty, the group is distributing free T-shirts to volunteers, fluorescent safety vests for sanitation workers, and rain gear, including jackets, caps, umbrellas, and raincoats for municipal workers and pilgrims.

The initiative is being carried out in partnership with the Puri district administration, ISKCON, and local community groups.

According to sources, the planning for this seva began months in advance and is being carried out by volunteers from both within the Adani Group and the local communities.

Execution is being led by experienced coordinators who have deep roots in the region.

The Adani Foundation, which has been active in Odisha through projects in healthcare, school development, and rural livelihoods, sees this effort as part of a wider commitment to Indian cultural and spiritual life.

Group sources say that this form of corporate social responsibility goes beyond business and infrastructure -- it is about engaging directly with people’s faith and traditions.

Earlier this year, during the Maha Kumbh Mela, the Group had also partnered with ISKCON and Gita Press to offer food and assistance to lakhs of pilgrims.

On January 21, Gautam Adani himself took part in serving food, reflecting the group’s core value that social service is not a one-time activity, but a continuous mission.

--IANS

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