Founded in 1857, Aditya Birla Group operates in 35 countries with more than 120,000 employees worldwide. This fact is enough to state that Aditya Birla Group has become a juggernaut in the world of corporates. For the past 162 years, ABG has a vice-like grip on the business world and has successfully adapted itself according to the changing times. The "Power of 5" i.e., integrity, commitment, passion, seamlessness and speed; has certainly been the foundation of this business empire.
Now, let me bring to you, how Aditya Birla Group has touched many lives along with mine. I come from the ‘City of Joy’, Kolkata. The best part about the city is its metro connectivity which reduces journey time and ensures a safe, reliable and comfortable commute. Ultra Tech Cement, a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Group, is associated with this project and has helped in realizing it. ABG’s contribution to this project has been a great help for the people of Kolkata.
Burrabazar, the hub of all the businesses in Kolkata, happens to-be place where we run our family business from. Trading and wholesaling of suiting & shirting materials are the core parts of our business. Thanks to Aditya Birla Group, we could include Grasim Industries Limited products to our inventory. The wide range of products that Grasim offered, helped us in meeting the needs of our customers.
I have always shopped for clothes with my family. I still remember how Pantaloons used to be our go-to destination for clothes shopping. To have all the top brands under the same roof was a welcome move from the Aditya Birla Group and the reason why we visited Pantaloons without giving a second thought. ABG and I have a common thread in my MBA admission stint as well. I have worn Louis Philippe branded suits and formal shoes in all the interviews during the selection process of various B schools.
The era in which we live, mobile phones have become a pivotal role to play in the field of communication. I have been a Vodafone user ever since I started using a cell phone. However, my experience with Vodafone has improved significantly after its merger with Idea Cellular, a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Group. An uninterrupted video call is enough to bring a smile to our faces and Vodafone-Idea has been able to do that successfully.
These are the various spears of my life that have a major impact of Aditya Birla Group. My experience with the subsidiaries of Aditya Birla Group as a customer has made me loyal to its brands. Various memories are associated with each product or service that I bought from the subsidiaries of ABG. When I ponder about it, I realize how BIG Aditya Birla group is, IN MY LIFE.
What challenges did I face in life? How did I overcome it to achieve my ambitions?
Challenges are bound to be encountered at various crossroads of life. Some challenges can be predicted, and we can make ourselves ready for them beforehand. While some challenges are unexpected and proper planning is done only after the damage is done. My life has not been an exception to these challenges, and I am proud that I could persevere through them. However, I am not afraid of upcoming challenges because it helps to bring a change in you, that too in a better way.
One of the biggest challenges that I have faced in life was the one during my engineering entrance examination. Having an academically strong profile all throughout, everyone had set some expectations from me. But I did not meet those expectations due to some reasons. I managed to get admission into one of the top private engineering colleges in Kolkata. Now, the challenge was that I was offered admission into the Biotechnology specialization. With all due respect to Biotechnology, I never wanted to study it because I had a keen interest in Computer Science. I had two options in my hand, either to take a drop and prepare again for the next year or to take admission into Biotechnology that year itself. I remember Mr Arun Singh, a member of the admission department, told me that I had a chance to study Computer Science this year itself. At that point, I only wanted to know how I could do it. Mr Singh told me that I should take Biotechnology this year, perform meticulously and apply for a stream shift next year. I was determined and gave my best shot in the first year of my graduation. I topped the Biotech stream as the first year remains common for everyone and applied for the stream shift to Computer Science. My quest did not end there. I was among the top three performers of the Computer Science Department at the end of four years.
The next challenge came to me when I joined one of the largest Indian MNC in the field of Information Technology. I already know that the competition for development projects is very high. The only chance that I had was to prove my mettle during the training period. I worked hard and became a top performer of my batch. Not only did I receive incentives for the same, but I also bagged an SAP ABAP development project. In the end, I feel every effort from my end was worth it to the T.
Another challenge that I feel, had an impact on making me a better person was the time when I lived in a rented apartment in Pune. I felt that my health was getting deteriorated because of outside food. I started my research on modern nutrition science and Ayurveda. I was deeply involved in reading about what to eat, how to eat and at what time to eat; in order to get the maximum nutrients from the food we consume. I managed time to prepare my own meals along with the work. I realized that it's not about giving time to something which matters but the intent with which we take up something.
With all the experiences that I have had so far, I believe that anything can be achieved if we’re passionate, committed and perseverant towards it. These three pillars have been the driving force in me. I believe I will face upcoming challenges with more enthusiasm and emerge out of it as a better version of myself.