General notions and biases get formed when people meet a person from Gujarati, Sindhi or Marwadi community. Blind assumptions are made that they would be from a business background only and engage in firms that are built to last for generations. I, myself being a Sindhi, can completely relate to these assumptions people make. But the assumptions are there for a reason. Many parents want their child to follow their father without asking them what THEY want to become in life. My father being one of those parents, wanted or rather commanded me to continue our family business without even considering what I plan to do with my life or how I want to live my life. On the other hand, I have always dreamed of a career in the corporate world. As a result, along with contributing to the family business, I started preparation for the entrance exams of Management courses. I managed books, time and spirit to make my dream walk towards reality. As my father was not in favor for this part, this thing shined as a grave secret between me, my mother, and sister. Through perseverance, hard work and a lot of coffee I managed to crack the entrance exams. I vividly remember, the day I told my father about everything, his shocked face which emerged out not only because I had kept the secret for so long, but also due to the realization of him being so rigid. He gave me a hug and this is one such hug that I can relive anytime by just closing my eyes. Presently, making it to one of the best B-schools in India I can proudly say that I have come this far, but still have miles to go before I reach my destination.
THE GROUP THAT TOUCHES LIVES
Aditya Birla Group, a conglomerate in the League of Fortune 500 with presence in 35 countries is a force to reckon with. Driven by the five core values; Integrity, Commitment, Passion, Seamlessness and Speed their impeccable culture complements the success of the group. With a staggering employee strength of 1,20,000 belonging to 42 nationalities ABG has been a part of many people’s life. It has been in my life even before I knew what a brand or a conglomerate is. All those irreplaceable delicious hot meals I had with my friends in school days were possible due to Freshwrapp. Remember the nights where I studied for the entrance exams, it was the Idea network coverage which allowed me to stay online seamlessly. From homes which are constructed with Ultratech Cement and financed by Aditya Birla Capital to the tyres of the cars which contain Birla Carbon, ABG has a significant penetration into our lives. They say “First impression is the last impression”, so I always dress smart by choosing brands I trust such as Allen Solly, Peter England and Louis Philippe. Being a stern believer in climate change, I really understand and connect to the importance of efforts towards sustainability such as using viscose over cotton which results in fewer environmental footprints. Introduction of Livaeco variant, which ensures the conservation of biodiversity, saving of endangered forests and an increase in the green cover and recycle of over 65 Billion cans by Hindalco Novelis substantiate the seriousness that ABG has towards sustainability. Coping and contributing inevitably in my ordinary life, ABG turns my life BIG.