From 5,000 Crore to 3 Lakh Crore: The Incredible Turnaround of Hindustan Zinc

• Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL), a former government-controlled PSU, transformed from a struggling entity to India's largest metal company.
• Established in 1966 for zinc-lead mining, HZL was a loss-making PSU until the government initiated disinvestment in 2000.
• Vedanta Group (then Sterlite Industries) acquired a 26% stake and management control in 2002 for ₹770 crore, followed by an additional 19.5% in 2003.
• Through mergers and restructuring, HZL became a direct subsidiary of Vedanta Resources and later consolidated under Vedanta Ltd.
• Today, HZL is valued at approximately ₹3 lakh crore, is the world's second-largest zinc producer, and the government's remaining stake is worth over ₹27,000 crore.

Why It Matters: HZL's journey from a struggling PSU to a 3 lakh crore metal giant highlights the success of strategic disinvestment.