The presence of Aditya Birla Group is indeed massive, not just in my life but in the lives of most other Indians. The Aditya Birla Group is active in 14 major industry sectors, ranging from metals, cement and textile to financial services, telecom and fashion. The roots of this conglomerate goes back to more than a century and it has been one of the pillar stones, on which the economic giant that India has become today, stands on and beams with pride. ABG has always been a huge part of my life as well and I’ve been a loyal consumer of ABG brands and goods since childhood, first unknowingly and now fully aware of the reliability factor and the quality assurance that comes with the brand ABG for any product.
The Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL) is a household name in India and is held in high regard across all demographics. Personally, I’ve using brands such as Louis Philippe, Van Heusen and Allen Solly for a long time now and they have played an even bigger role in my life now that I’m an MBA student. Another ABG subsidiary that is almost omnipresent is Ultratech Cement, so much so that one almost fails to categorically notice its presence. Thus, ABG as a brand is ubiquitous and has played a crucial role in giving shape to my dreams in specific and the aspirations of the whole nation in general.
Challenges are a part and parcel of each of our lives. As my father always says to me, they should be seen as stepping stones into newer territories and avenues rather than stumbling blocks in between our goals. Just like everyone else, I’ve had my fair share of challenges and difficulties in life. For a major part of life, I’ve dreaded the act of speaking in public. I’ve always been an introverted person and was never fond of crowds or lots of people around me. However, I was aware that this inhibition held me back from a lot of events and opportunities. As such, I decided to consciously and actively work on this problem after I reached college. I tried my hands at various extra-curricular activities and different societies in my college. Slowly, I started coming out of my shell and being comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. I worked in a lot of events wherein I had the experience of addressing a huge audience and also working in a diverse team and handling responsibilities which involved dealing with all sorts of people. This experience was very enriching and was pivotal for me during my work after graduation. It helped me a lot with my inter-personal skills at my workplace and also the ability to coordinate and execute cross-functional team work. Overcoming this challenge also was crucial to my plans of making it into a top business school. I still haven’t fully gotten rid of the anxiousness of getting on stage in front of a huge crowd but I have learned to manage that feeling and pushing through it. But, I’ve indeed made huge strides and hopefully, by the end of my MBA program I would rid myself of the vestiges of this dread.