Aditya Birla Group, an international conglomerate, with a legacy of 162 years, is a household name with an array of products ranging from BPO and IT services to cement and fashion. While diving deep into the foray of activities this group is involved with, the range and diversity of products and services the group is into, I have been nothing but inspired.
Although, ABG is the 3rd largest Indian firm, many may not be aware of the diversity of sectors and subsidiaries of the group and the kind of impact it has on our lives.
ABG’s popular subsidiary, Ultratech Building Solutions, the leading cement manufacturer in India, besides being a household name is an innovation hub that offers an array of scientifically engineered products to cater to the new age constructions. Xtralite, Aerated Autoclaved Concrete blocks (AAC blocks), a creation of UltraTech Building Products, are economical, light-weight blocks, ideal for high rise buildings. Further, UltraTech Cement has been certified as two times ‘water positive’ by global auditing agency – DNV. More than 85% of its power consumption is met through captive thermal power plants and waste heat recovery systems and half of the Ultratech’s water requirement is met through rainwater harvesting and recycling.
Being a fashion enthusiast, even I did not know that brands such as Van Heusen, Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Peter England, Ralph Lauren, Pantaloons, Ted Baker and many more that my parents and I love adorning, are all subsidiaries of the Aditya Birla Group under Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL).
Vodafone-Idea Limited, the leading telecom service provider in India and the second largest globally, is another subsidiary of the Aditya Birla Group which shows the diversity of products the firm is a front-runner in. The initiative that makes the company truly big is that it focuses on energy conservation, waste minimization and carbon footprint reduction. Over 19% of idea owned telecom towers are operated by hybrid power, reducing carbon monoxide emissions by 52,000 tonnes per annum. A stellar cellular service indeed!
Further, the group’s CSR vision: to contribute effectively to raise the country’s human development index, has touched the lives of more than 1.5 million people! Effectively working in 480 villages, spanning 15 states in India to provide healthcare, education, safe drinking water, sanitation, income generation opportunities to women and more, the company has had a major contribution in uplifting the nation’s people. ABG has identified 58 villages to be turned into model villages.
So, BIG is not just the revenue, the position, the power… But BIG is the philosophy, the vision, the values, and the steps taken today, to sustain the planet for the generations to come!
PART B-
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I have never had the opportunity to meet failure in the form which would fuel me enough to burn myself to light the candle of my ambition. Born and brought up in a business family and being a single child, I have always been pampered and got everything in a click of the hand. This shaped a major part of my personality and I started to take everything for granted. I hardly ever realized how ignorant I had become to the realities of life and towards my own life. Oblivious to the worsening conditions of our family business, I continued to not take initiative, let go of opportunities and mask it as my nature to be non-competitive.
My mother, an extremely strong and ambitious woman, has always been a driving force for me and she was the one who helped me figure out my dream and spark the ambition in me. It was only during the third year of my graduation when I realized how ignorant I had been all this while and that it was time for me take my life into my own hands.
I still do not know how and when getting into a Premier B-school became my ultimate desire and I was ready to do everything in my power, invest as much time required to achieve this ambition. This decision turned my life by 360 degrees.
I was fortunate enough to be able to actualize my dream in a single attempt and achieve the target that I had set for myself. Although, I found the spark very late, the journey has just begun, and I now wish to grab every opportunity I get and to keep the spark alive!
#ABGLP #ABGWOOME #XIMB #ABGWOOMESEASON-2
