As I type this story online using my mobile connection, seated in my favourite grey linen pants, having just consumed a plate of scrumptious dal rice, within the concrete jungle of my college, I realise that ABG is indeed central to everything around me.
I remember all the shopping trips to the local Pantaloons, from buying Gini & Jony t-shirts as a kid, to getting fitted in Louis Phillipe formals now. The warmth of the ever-smiling salespersons, could convince you to buy a suit even when you had come only for window-shopping!
The ever-present bags of Ultratech cement at the partially built construction site, which would become whatever our gang of friends thought of - one day a pirate ship, another day a glorious kingdom!
My high school days of the old hand-me-down Nokia 1100, powered with my Vodafone sim, which would last the calls for pickups after tution, as well as the long chats with dear friends...:) Of course, the sim would later easily support the college transition to Whatsapp and Instagram, and the shining new Android I jammed it into.
With my gradual interest in management, my love for ABG grew even further, and KM Birla became my role model. The vision the Birla family had for the conglomerate was made a reality for the subcontinent of India. While it may not have built each of the homes it affected, it certainly built the emotions within.