The first time I heard about the Birlas - I must have been around 2. The story has been repeated often at most family gatherings. Apparently, I asked my grandfather for a large suitcase full of Cadbury’s chocolates for my birthday. His response was ‘What do you think of me? Am I a Birla?” And my response was ‘No. You are my grandfather. I know who you are” with a slightly puzzled look on my face.
My grandfather is long gone. So is the Birla group’s esteemed founding father - Mr Ghanshyam Das Birla and the strong visionary who led it for decades - Mr Aditya Birla. But their legacy lives on. My grandfather’s, in a small way. Mr Birla’s in a massive, gigantic way. Almost like a footprint on the sands of time. A legacy of trust and values. A legacy that is so concrete that any Indian only needs to hear the ‘Birla’ brand to immediately trust and buy the product, maybe even blindly.
Be it Van Heusen, Peter England, Pantaloons, Louis Philippe, Forever 21, Allen Solly or even Freshwrapp, there are examples galore. Of brands that would not have seen the success they did if it was not for the name associated with them. These are the brands that survived in fiercely competitive markets, of course in a large part thanks to their quality and customer focus, but to no small extent because of the name that defines them.
There is probably not a single sector in the country that’s not imbued with the Birla legacy. From banking to apparel, cement to financial services and even metals for that matter - the Birlas occupy a place in the heart of every Indian and every Indian, in turn, is a part of the large Birla family, even if it’s just through utter association. Liva? Has to be good, it’s by the Birlas. Need aluminium foil? Get the Hindalco one, it’s from the Birlas.
The one that would be the closest to my heart would be my doctor father who after having been of service to the society for over 35 years has now set on a journey of self-discovery journey - building his retirement home and his passion project i.e. his village farmhouse. And who better to rely on than one great ingenious leader’s vision? None other than the Aditya Birla Group’s very own Ultratech. As I watch him relentlessly pursue this dream of his, the fire in my belly urges me to chase after my own. And therefore I persevere and continue with the same.
