I had realised it soon enough that no matter where you go, you cannot escape the biggest conglomerate in India i.e. the Aditya Birla Group. They have not only taken risks and ventured into new businesses, but have also proved their mettle by being a huge success not only in India but also in 34 other countries. They have contributed exponentially to the growth of India by not only providing quality goods and services but also employment to a large workforce.
Growing up it has always been a part of my life whether I was aware of it or not. I distinctly remember the year 2007 when I was just 10 years old, just a kid but with big ambitious dreams. That year my eldest sister had just gone to hostel for college and was away from home for the first time. My father had gone to drop her off and I was with my mother and middle sister at home. My mother was really sad as her birthday was in 2 weeks’ and my sister won’t be able to attend it for the first time. It was a low point for everyone and my mom decided that she would keep her birthday very low key.
She used to be very upset those days and her only source of comfort was when she used to talk to my sister. Mobile phones and telecom industry were still not so widely popular. But our very first mobile phone had Idea connection and its family plans helped a lot in keeping the spirits of my mom up!
My mom’s birthday was nearing and I decided that I won’t let everyone be gloomy forever and therefore came up with a plan to lift everyone’s spirits. I was on a mission. I broke my piggy bank, added my school scholarship money and marched into the nearest Pantaloons Store.
Only a few days before mom had liked a beautiful salwar kameez there which she hadn’t purchased yet. I bought her the same clothes and even added a nice pair of earrings to go with it. I had the perfect plan in place and she had not suspected a thing. On the D-day I sent my mom away to market and decorated the whole house with my dad’s help.
From the moment my mom stepped into the house till she cut the cake she couldn’t stop her tears. She had not expected any of it and my little innocent act was all she needed at that time. It brought all of us a lot closer and made this story a very special one.
These small things which made my life beautiful and gave me stories to be nostalgic about are the key reasons why ABG will always be big in my life.
"A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes Sweat, Determination and Hard Work" by Colin Powell. I have always related with the quote no matter at what stage of my life I am. I will tell you how.
I come from a family of five. My father is a retired banker from Central Bank of India. Growing up my father used to get transferred a lot because of his job. Along with him we had to shift also, which led me to change 6 schools and 5 different cities. Most of the time I had to shift in the middle of the academic year. It was very challenging; each place was miles away and way different from the last one.
It was tough initially to adjust in new environments with new people and make new friends. But slowly I got a hang of it and enjoyed the roller coaster experience. But nothing had prepared me for what I was about to face in my 10th grade. I had just shifted from Hyderabad to a small city in Bihar named Muzaffarpur. Within 6 months my father was transferred again and had to leave. But I had my 10th Board exams and hence my mom and I stayed back.
Just a few days before my board exams, my mom fell severely sick and had to be hospitalized. For the first time in my life I felt helpless, all alone in a new place with no relatives nearby and the nearest airport around was 3 hours away from the city. My father wanted to come but was stuck with unforeseeable circumstances he could not come out of. So, for around 4-5 days I had to be brave not only for my mom but also for my whole family.
I juggled my studies, stayed in hospital with my mom throughout and took care of her. She got well eventually by God’s grace and I appeared for the exams immediately after. I had expected to do well but had never imagined that I would get a CGPA 10 and top my school. This whole experience made me resilient and taught me many life lessons.
Even though I have faced these challenges, now when I look back, I realize how important those situations were for me. Growing up, I have learnt so much from these experiences and they have shaped me to be the person I am today. I have always tried to keep calm through these challenges and prayed to ride though the wave successfully. I have taken every challenge as a learning experience and this has ultimately helped me in achieving my ambitions, be it small or big.
#XIMB #ABGLP #ABGWOOME #ABGWOOMESEASON-2
