What more can be said about a business group whose ethos and longevity match the Indian renaissance of the mid 19th century, which awakened a sleeping giant from its long stupendous slumber and has unleashed a century and half of increasing prosperity? A group which was founded in the same year as that of the Revolt of 1857/First war of independence. One might take this is as just pure coincidence, but we should read between the lines and see that the groups action of setting up industries in critical sectors such as textiles and fiber, aluminum, cement, and chemicals in the late 19th century as a deliberate move towards positive cultural revolution molding a new India of Enterprise.
The Aditya Birla group has been in lockstep with the new India since 1857, emerging bigger and better with each passing decade just like the motherland; and has been part of every Indians life since then. There would be no Indian who has not directly or indirectly benefited from the enterprise of the Aditya Birla Group. Focusing on the omnipresence of the group product line would be akin to an elaborating the importance of water for life, it need not be said as everyone knows it as part of their being. But a crucial point that must not ignored is the sheer humility with which the group operates. For example, despite owning an extensive number of products and brands, the Aditya Birla Group Logo is seldom used on its products and in marketing. This manifestation of characteristic humility transforms into a ideal business structure balancing independence and control.
One event in recent history that exemplifies the symbiotic existence between the Aditya Birla Group and the Indian society is Hindalco’s six-billion-dollar acquisition of Novelis in 2007 around the 150th anniversary of the group. What was essentially a business transaction was rightfully celebrated across the country as the arrival of India on the global stage. This is how the Aditya Birla Group has been big in my life and for millions of Indians before and after me. The group has strived to put India and Indians on the Global Stage through its unwavering dedication and hence positively altered millions of lives. Personally, more than the tangible products and services, it is the Aditya Birla Groups Vision of Capitalism which emphasizes societal value on par with profits which makes it a Big in my Life.
Challenges and Opportunities come Hand in Hand
The Mandarin word for crisis loosely translates to danger plus opportunity. Meaning every crisis, every challenge always brings alongside new opportunities. By the time I realized my passion in life – financial markets, I had spent considerable time into my engineering degree, which was not the popular path to get into the financial markets. Ideally if you want an Investment Bankers Job, you pass out of a top 20 Business school as early as possible and worked your way up the corporate ladder. But I did not let this moderate my passion, instead I worked on it on my own. As I was in later stages of my engineering degree, I voraciously read through dozens of books on Investing Principles, Markets and Business History. I was able to convince my family to seed my investment activities with significant funding and slowly but surely learnt the ropes of the financial markets.
As soon as I finished my graduation, I had much persuading to do with my family to shift my career away from engineering. I successfully navigated around the challenge of rigid mindsets with my passion and dedication. I enrolled in a short primer program for capital markets soon after engineering, refusing to work outside my field of passion. Directly after the program I managed to land in a niche job in the capital markets sector dealing with performance analytics. After spending a year there and having learnt as much as possible, I again challenged societal expectations of settling into a cozy job by quitting to focus purely on my investment activities.
All these decisions were challenging for me, and I assume it would have been for most. The problem that I faced did not concern my confidence regarding my decisions. I was crystal clear about my decisions and it was very natural to me. However, to take into confidence your family and friends that your own the right path, when the path you have chosen is the one less traveled, was for me a challenge.Now after about two years of focusing entirely on investing, I have opened myself for the next challenge, an MBA from Top 20 B school. Hence, I’m now in the PGDM-Banking and Finance program at T.A Pai Management Institute , having taken the road less traveled and having overcome all the challenges that greeted on the path, eagerly awaiting new challenges in academia and in practice.
Nitin Mathew
T.A Pai Management Institute, TAPMI