By A Correspondent

The Vedanta Group, a globally diversified natural resources major with interests in aluminum, copper, zinc, lead, silver, iron ore and oil & gas, has unveiled its first ever national corporate campaign under the platform of ‘Creating Happiness’.

The integrated campaign combines a unique first-of-its-kind film competition forIndia’s next-gen filmmakers along with social media and traditional media outreach. As a part of the campaign, Vedanta is releasing 39 films – a 90 seconds film by Piyush Pandey of O&M and 38 three minute films made by student film-makers from across the country.

Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal’s vision of contributing to building sustainable communities and integrating sustainability as a core part of the business is at the heart of this campaign.

114 students from top media and film schools in the country including FTII, Whistling Woods, Symbiosis, School of Convergence, MGR FTI, IIMC, Assam University, Xavier’s, Christ University, AAFT, ZIMA, Tezpur University, IP College and Ravenshaw have produced 38 short films that tell the stories of the people and communities whose lives have been changed by Vedanta’s community initiatives, creating happiness in the process. Each film was made by a group of three students.

The students travelled to the interiors of Rajasthan, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh to meet with an Indiathat is full of inspiring stories and came back with their experiences and films. The films are open for public voting on YouTube till 20^th March, 2012. The films will also be judged by the jury that includes Piyush Pandey, Shyam Benegal and Gul Panag.

The face of the campaign is ‘Binno’, a little girl who was chosen from one of Vedanta’s community initiatives in rural Rajasthan. The television ad film, which has been conceived and scripted by veteran adman Piyush Pandey takes a real slice out of Binno’s life, with her parents, friends, doctors and school teachers playing their parts.

It shows how her life is different from that of her earlier generations, in the process, highlighting the many changes that have come about over the years.

The film has been shot on location in Rajasthan by award-winning director Shivendra Dungarpur of Dungarpur Films and the music has been composed by Rajat Dholakia, who has won two national awards as best music director for ‘Dharavi’ and ‘Sunday’.

The television campaign, with the Binno film, will go on air from January 30 and student films are available for public voting on youtube.com/Vedanta group.

Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman, O&M said: “The Vedanta ‘Creating Happiness’ campaign is extremely close to my heart for it’s all about enablingIndia. I have worked on this campaign along with my team as an excited young copywriter and I look forward to the people ofIndianot just appreciating Vedanta’s efforts, but getting inspired to do something on their own to makeIndiaa happier place.”

Senjam Raj Sekhar, Director – Communications & Brand, Vedanta group said: “Vedanta has several compelling stories to tell about the work that is being done in community and sustainability. Our aim is to tell the world the Vedanta story under the platform of ‘Creating Happiness’. With the film competition, we opened up all our projects and locations to budding independent film makers. The idea was to enable them to experience it first hand and make films on impact that the projects were having on the community. The results are tremendous – we have got 38 heartwarming stories capturing hope, change and empowerment in rural India”

Vedanta Resources plc (“Vedanta”) is aLondonlisted FTSE 100 diversified global natural resources major. The group produces aluminum, copper, zinc, lead, silver, iron ore, oil & gas and commercial power. Vedanta has presence in India, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Ireland, Liberia, Australia and Sri Lanka.