PART A:
'The countdown has begun, only 60 days to go, Maa asche (Durga Maa is coming) ', can excite any Bengali sitting in whichever part of the world. Although being a ten-day long festival, the real preparation begins months in advance. People throng from one shop to the other looking for salwar kameez, kurtas, sarees, matching jewelleries, shoes and what not.
But honestly, I look for that 'One Stop Shopping Destination' which will meet all my needs. And I can vouch for Pantaloons anytime. Believe me when I say this because a Bengali will never compromise when it comes to Puja shopping. Not only it provides us with quality clothing option, the discounts are to go gaga for.
So finally, a day is decided where we children are given the freedom to simply go crazy and buy things of our choice. We sweep through the entire shopping arena of Pantaloons looking through all the trending fashion, grabbing and trying on clothes. The sales executives work hands on suggesting outfits and giving us the best shopping experience.
This year things are a bit different. This will be my first Puja away from Home. I have started a new journey in TAPMI University and the first thing that came across my mind before my packing list even started was a business suit. I still remember when I first walked into the Allen Solly store – I had put on that grey blazer, looked myself in the mirror and for a second everything paused. I saw my mom tearing up with a gleam of happiness in her eyes. It was an achievement in the purest from. For me it was not just a piece of clothing but a story of how far I have come and what I have achieved.
Today while writing this I could reflect on how Aditya Birla Group has actually been a part of my everyday life unknowingly.
PART B:
When do you think life really starts getting difficult?
I believe difficulty steps in after you leave the baggage of memories you acquired from school and step into the real world. It is when you realize you do not have a routine; you do not have a mentor always telling you what you have to do.
You have now achieved the freedom to do things on your own after being chained to certain rules and regulations for past 14 years. Not that I am saying it is a bad thing but it has been a long time and our mind has been trained in a way where good marks equal promotion to the next class.
But what after class 12? Have we really been taught or made to understand what we really want from life? Were we made aware what the real world actually wants from us or how it works?
And that is when I started facing difficulties. Going by my board results getting into a decent college was never a problem, but does high scores inevitably mean fondness towards the subject? Let us see how it panned out for me.
I got into a prestigious college with Chemistry as my under-grad subject. Now why Chemistry because I was dazzled by the way my school mentor explained all those elements along with their properties as if it was a story; I eventually started liking the subject. It was later during my third semesters in college that I realized I had ‘acquired-liking’ for that subject.
The immediate consequences appeared in my mark sheet; it was a huge blow. I started doubting myself and my own capabilities. Surrounded by peers who seamlessly tackled the situation created added anxiety. But a voice inside me said, ‘Don’t give up, it is not the end of the world!’
I started looking for options as to what can be done next; I started spending time with myself understanding what I really wanted to do and where do I see myself in future. The remaining duration in college was not a problem because I had my goals clear; patiently waiting for my plans to get executed. I got to choose my Final Year project where I played around with molecules using coding where I learnt a new programming language. I never gave up and tried learning everyday.
Next step was to get into a B school to kick start my aspirations. But how do I explain to them why I chose to shift streams? Why is my under-grad score not up to the mark?
The voice inside me said, ‘I have come this far, now is not the time to give up. Just own it and be Honest.’
TAPMI’S PGDM-BKFS interview was my very first experience. It will always remain special to me and I can proudly say that ‘I made it!’