How ABG has been big in my life?
Being one of the largest conglomerates in India, ABG has impacted the lives of millions of people all around the world. It has touched so many lives from the poor to the rich. Aditya Birla Group has been a big part of my life too. I am from a small town called Barbil in Odisha. It is a hub of the mining industry where mostly iron ore mining is done. Being a mining area, a lot of mining companies have their offices in Barbil but one name which has constantly come up is of Essel Mining and Industries Ltd. I have grown up hearing about the various ways in which EMIL has worked for the development of my town and its people.
EMIL has made a huge name in the small town of Barbil not only with their positions as one of the top mining companies in India but also through their CSR activities in the development of the town. It has employed a lot of people in Barbil along with benefits like accommodations, medical facilities, education for the children of employees, etc. EMIL has established itself as a company that works for the benefits of its employees as well as the people whose lives have been indirectly affected by its operations. Their CSR activities include providing healthcare, education, sustainable development of villages and many more. They have carried on the legacy of the Aditya Birla Group by making their separate entity and standing apart from the rest of the mining industry.
ABG has worked constantly in providing their services in the development of the area around their work. Their CSR work in the healthcare sector has helped a lot of tribal areas found abundantly in and around Barbil. They have set up around 5000 medical camps for the tribal villages and treated over a million patients. They have done a lot of work in the education sector also by providing quality education to the village children. Their association "Swabhimaan” conducts skills and personality development programs for around 400 children from the slum area making them ready to face life.
ABG has had a huge impact in my life and I hope it continues its legacy of inspiring people for generations to come.
How I overcame challenges in life?
What is life if not full of challenges at every step on the way? Challenges are as important in our lives as anything else. They are a part of our life which help us grow and achieve our dreams and ambitions. Every individual has faced, is facing or might face some kind of challenge in their lives.
I have also faced a lot of challenges in life. Since childhood, I have always been a shy and introverted girl. I had problems talking to new people and opening up to them. This had limited my opportunities as I couldn’t get comfortable around people easily. I used to shy away from taking lead and always used to be on the sidelines or following the crowd. I could never get the courage to talk in front of a group of people without fumbling or clamming up. I never took part in any debates, cultural activities or anything as I did not dare to face a crowd.
Going to an engineering college did help me to break out of my mold a little. I had left home for the first time and had gone to an unknown place with a lot of new people. I was lost in the crowd; I was one of the many students on the campus. Being in a new place away from home made me realize that I had to come out of my comfort zone and talk to people to survive four years in college.
Everyone there was new and full of inhibitions about each other so it helped me relate to them and strike conversations with them. That gave me a confidence boost to get out of my comfort zone and make my own identity. I took part in a lot of competitions in the college fests and also worked in a few college committees. Interacting with seniors and juniors also helped me grow as a person. College curriculum forced me to give presentations in front of professors and my batch mates which further increased confidence in myself.
The biggest boost to my confidence came when I started giving interviews for MBA colleges. These interviews tested my attitude and confidence. It made me realize that I still had a long way to go to overcome my challenges. After facing several rejections, I finally cracked the interview of XIMB. It has been just three weeks since I joined XIMB but I have already been tested to my limits with presentations, skits, assignments, quizzes, and whatnot. Being in an MBA college has taught me that what we need in life to succeed is not just grades and academics but how we present ourselves to the world. I still have a long way to go but life is all about learning and overcoming challenges at every step on the way.
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