Aditya Birla Group is big in my life
I belong to a big joint family, comprising of twelve people currently, all living under one roof - the typical happy family residing in a cosy bungalow in the suburbs of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. However, the ‘cosy’ residence was unable to accommodate (then ten) the family comfortably. With impending marriages of the sons of the house, we decided to expand our home to make room for our expanding family. Around 2013, the decision was made to develop the two-storey building to a three-storey building. Safety was a prime concern for my father and my uncle. Also, they were aware that the new members of the family would be younger and (hopefully) live in the same home for many years to come. Hence, they did not need to think twice about some of the aspects of construction – designing would be by a trusted neighbour, bricks to be bought from a distant relative’s kiln and cement from UltraTech. I still remember the day the yellow bags came in and were piled up on one side of the house. My grandmother, in all her wisdom, goes on to poke the topmost bag for ‘inspection’. She returned with a smile. Her verdict (loosely translated to English) – “Seems tough”. Having received her approval, the construction went on smoothly. The home is now completed and the family has been enjoying the newfound space. The walls are decorated with artwork and our family photos, but the strength inside is not forgotten. We rest peacefully at night, knowing that an investment in UltraTech Cement will pay-off manifold in the coming decades.
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How I overcame challenges to achieve my ambition in life so far
My ambition in life so far has been to figure out my Ikigai. While there is no synonym for Japanese word ‘ikigai’ in English, it roughly means the “thing that you live for” or “the reason for which you get up in the morning.” In other words, it embraces the idea that happiness in life is beyond money or a fancy job title. The most elementary method to grasp the concept of ikigai is to find something that satisfies all of the following:
- What you love
- What you care about
- What the world needs
- What you can get paid for
Shuttling around is a necessary evil when one sets out in this endeavour. To an extent, my father’s software job involving cross-country transfers helped in inculcating an adaptable nature in me at a young age – critical for people who want to pinpoint their ikigai. I have had to also face stigma from society for some of the choices I have made. I guess that the relentless support from my family and my own zeal were the reasons I was able to overcome the criticisms. I am currently pursuing my MBA specializing in Operations and HR, a far cry from my Non-Destructive Testing role and a short Marketing stint earlier on.
I have been privileged enough to work with some of the best companies alongside really smart people – all of whom have taught me so much. While I am not sure whether I’ll know at once when I find my ikigai, I am sure that I will certainly achieve it sooner rather than later.
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Image source: "HOUSE AT DHANTOLI BY BIJAY BISWAAL" available at https://www.artzolo.com/painting/house-dhantoli-0?id=17849 (accessed July 2019)
#IIMRaipur #ABGLPWooMe
#Indore #Home #Family #Ikigai #HR #Operations
#Cement #UltraTech #ABG #ABGLP