Aditya Birla Group and Me
The moment I saw this question, I called my Dad to confirm on the cement we used when we renovated our house 5 years back. And unsurprisingly, it was the same one which we have been using whenever any construction work comes up. Ultratech. It is synonymous to cement. We never go to buy cement; we go to buy Ultratech. The word says it all and the Brand speaks for itself.
When I say the Group is close to my heart, it's not only in symbolic way but in literal sense too. I have got a beautiful and a versatile collection of apparels of some amazing brands like VanHeusen, Louis Philippe, Allen Solly and Peter England. Planet Fashion has always been my go-to place. There's no better place for my corporate formals. Also, there's a very touching moment attached. I bought my first suit of Peter England with my first salary and I'm pretty sure it's going to stay with me for a long time.
An Impact that I made...
No sooner the final year started than I was excited to apply for College Sports Captain. I grew myself for two years to grab this opportunity. The moment, when the notice to apply was out, marked the beginning of those 13 torturous, yet fruitful days. I was not only a great sports enthusiast but also a prominent deserving candidate. A countdown of 13 days started to submit the application to prove ourselves worthy of that prestigious role.
Owing to my early preparations, I submitted my application on the seventh day. On the same night, I got a call. I was threatened to take back my candidature. I ignored. But, the calls didn’t stop. Each call hit me harder than earlier. And finally, I started considering withdrawal because she, not I, received the last call. Coming from a defense background, withdrawal is never an option. And power in bitter hands is even worse. I took a step back and pondered. Diplomacy took the front stage. I hinted the Sports Officer about my situation and started convincing my adversaries that I rescinded. It continued for 3 days and nights. And then, they caught me. Taking advantage of my convincing skills, I made them realize that the college management didn’t cancel my candidature.
13 days were over and I was selected as the Captain and my opponent as the Vice-Captain. Our appointment was fixed with Dean Student Welfare. Behind the scenes, I was asked to support the adversary over my candidature. The meeting started. My adversary was good with hands, not words. And the advantage was all mine now. I took the stage to start with, “The team is not in my court. They go with my captain-elect. In such situations, it’d be good for the college if I step down....” This piece threw him on cloud nine. He was all smiles and giggles. And in the midst of his happiness, he forgot to hear that I had also said, “You can understand my circumstances and reasons to come here.” The Dean was already in the loop with the sports officer. I played my card and waited for the judgement. And the judgement was, “Either you both go ahead with your given roles or you both will be debarred from participating in any of the event. Take the call.” And hence, I survived and came out as the winner on the D-day without damaging any side.
Lessons Learnt:
1) At some crucial point in time, it's better to take a step back and view the scene with a broader aspect. There's always a way out. We just have to ponder and wait for the moment to strike.
2) One should not only have the knowledge of his/her competitors but also the presence of mind.
