Aditya Birla Group (ABG) is many things rolled into one. A Fortune 500 company with an enviable net worth of US $44.3 billion, a brand that has collected numerous accolades over the past 15 years and a humongous conglomerate that caters to the needs of every person or entity out there, be it in the manufacture of Infrastructural Capital goods, Fashion, Telecommunications or Financial services. ABG has etched a name for itself in the Hall of fame of Indian corporates. Its tagline ‘Taking India to the world’ is quite commonplace in print and digital media. ABG takes tremendous pain to make sure its commercials are clean and family-friendly in an expletive-ridden Ad-space. Also, its offerings are known for their classiness and reliability.
A personal experience I would vouch for is Aditya Birla’s range of clothing brands. Allen Solly, Louis Philippe, Peter England, and Van Heusen are quite the stand-alone products in their own right and offer the wearer a sense of sophistication and comfort previously unheard of. Right from the fabric to the sewing style they use, the brands are impeccable in every way imaginable and don’t crease under pressure. ABG’s insignia, a rising sun, seems to bode well with its infrastructural businesses, the brands Ultratech and Hindalco have the hallmark of being used in a number of famous construction projects, both in India and around the world. In the segment of telecommunication, the merger of Vodafone and ABG’s very own Idea cellular into a 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) Network has propelled ABG to the pedestal of being the largest telecom operator in India.
Another important point to touch upon would be ABG’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects. ABG’s hospital services, immunisation camps and mid-day meals for school children have positively impacted the lives of millions of people in India who otherwise do not have access to such services.
PART-B
My personality traits of simplicity with the right mix of intelligence and interpersonal skills could, very well, be my one-way ticket into ABG’s Leadership Programme. The leadership programme looks for exceptional individuals who can be groomed to take over the mantle of ABG’s business ventures. I think my sheer tenacity, perseverance and emotional indifference closely matches the character profiles that the programme seeks to find.
I was born with benign neurofibromatosis, a condition that gives my face a dishevelled appearance. My journey from childhood to manhood was paved with vagaries step after step. I have been through countless bouts of depression, self-doubt, ridicule by teachers and my fellow students. The endless visits to psychiatrists offered little help as I thought the world around me was throwing all it had and I being a mere puppet was helpless in the midst of all this. Then the day of realisation came as I picked up a book called ‘The Children’s guide to Kybalion’. This book really did wonders. It talked about the effect of thoughts and how all that one is experiencing is a result of his thoughts in toto. The rationale seemed quirky but quite revealing.
I, being a tenacious person, was determined to prove to the world that I’m more than this condition I was born with and decided to consciously alter my state-of-mind. So, throughout my school, college and work lives, I strived to put in my genuine and honest efforts to stand out, both academically and extra-academically. Though I lacked consistency, my attempts drew praise from my peers, superiors and teachers. On top of that, the emotional indifference that I managed to drill into my psyche made and still makes me sail the ups and downs with equanimity. This gradual shift in perception is what I consider to be my greatest achievement in life.
Comments
Akhilnandh Ramesh
All the best ! You will make it big !
13 Jul 2019, 05.19 AM