Adani @ Rath Yatra

Chariots of Grace, Acts of Adani Foundation Care: CSR with Soul at Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri

Every year, when the mighty chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra roll down the Grand Road of Puri, the world witnesses one of India’s most divine spectacles — the Rath Yatra. Yet, beyond the towering wheels and chants of devotion, there lies a quieter, more intimate story: one of service, sweat, and silent compassion.

This is where the Adani Group’s CSR (corporate society responsibility) efforts find their heartbeat. Not in grand announcements, but in the smallest of gestures — a bottle of water passed to a tired pilgrim, a medical van stationed at just the right curve of the road, a clean toilet accessible to a mother with a child. It is here that the divine meets the deeply human.

At the core of these efforts is a belief that service is also worship. Through its CSR arm, the Adani Foundation, the Adani Group has made Rath Yatra not just a spectacle to behold but a sanctuary of safety, dignity, and care. In 2024 alone, the initiative had reached over 10 lakh pilgrims with support ranging from hydration booths and mobile health units to sanitation services and volunteer assistance.

These aren’t transactional services; they are born out of intent. Each volunteer is trained not just to help but to understand. “We are here to serve like we would serve a guest in our home,” says a young woman from the foundation, her arms full of supplies as she walks toward a crowded stretch of the Yatra path.

During one recent Yatra, an elderly man collapsed from heat exhaustion. It was an Adani medical team stationed near Gundicha Temple that stabilised him. Later, his son returned with folded hands, not knowing who to thank. “You don’t need to thank us,” a volunteer replied. “Thank Jagannath. We’re just part of His work.”

This is the ethos that Chairman Gautam Adani’s vision infuses into the CSR model — not aid, but empathy. Not optics, but on-the-ground impact. His belief that businesses must serve society through meaningful engagement is what has shaped the group’s quiet, consistent presence at the Yatra over the years.

The Rath Yatra draws over 10 lakh pilgrims in just a few days, creating immense pressure on local resources. The Adani Group’s intervention acts as a crucial support beam to this cultural marvel — complementing the government’s efforts with professional planning, volunteer coordination, emergency response teams, and eco-conscious waste management.

Perhaps the most profound human touch is the respect with which pilgrims are treated — not as crowds to be managed but as souls on a sacred journey. “What moves me most is how they speak to my mother,” said a devotee from Cuttack, the oldest town in Odisha. “They speak slowly, kindly, as if she’s family. That makes all the difference.”

And it does.

In a festival where the gods themselves descend to the streets, Brand Adani’s presence remains grounded — no branding banners, no loud announcements. Just care that reaches the pilgrim before exhaustion does, and support that lifts them before they stumble.

This is how a corporate powerhouse becomes a servant of faith.

This is how Brand Adani’s CSR becomes a quiet revolution in compassion.