The power of 5. Integrity, Passion, Commitment, Seamlessness and Speed. Aditya Birla Group has embodied these values over the past decade and more, to become a truly global conglomerate, with their products touching almost every one of us at least once in our lives.
Why is Aditya Birla Group big in my life ?
For me, that moment came in earnest 7 years ago – and it went without me realizing what it was, only to think back and recognize in hindsight – there was an Aditya Birla Group product with me when I first started down the path to college education and corporate life, even before I really knew anything about brands and conglomerates. “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have” admonished my father, roughly 7 years ago. I was about to start my college education, and my father had insisted (despite my protests) that I get a pair of formal clothes. And on we went to the nearest Peter England outlet – the place he preferred to buy his clothes from.
To add to it- the first mobile number I had was Idea Cellular GSM, and I had it with me when I started my UG studies.
The years passed by, I completed my graduation and landed a job; and once again my father took me shopping for formal clothes before I had to leave for work. “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have” he told me again, and took me to a Van Heusen outlet. Van Heusen has over the years gained popularity as the brand of choice for corporate, and I still continue to prefer it over any other brand.
Hindsight is always 20/20 , the saying goes – and indeed it is. I am able to recount many more instances where I used a Aditya Birla product , and it makes me happy to have in some way, however miniscule, been a part of the journey of Aditya Birla Group – an Indian conglomerate dedicated to touching lives, and taking India to the world.
How did I overcome challenges to achieve my ambitions in life so far ?
“The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials”. Everyone we see around us is struggling with life in their own way, fighting their battles silently, overcoming challenges in their path. And I’ve faced my fair share of them, overcame some, and learnt valuable lessons from every single one of them. My mantra to face challenges in life has been to rely on my character- character that I have to thank my parents, teachers and society for imparting onto me. Because under stress, when one has been beaten down mentally and physiologically, and the challenges seem insurmountable; that is the time when true, inner character shines through. That one voice from the inside that screams “Don’t give up. Your time is now. You’re gonna climb this mountain, and plant your flag at the top. Fight till your last breath, keep pushing till you collapse”.
My first taste of the real world and its challenges came way back during the 2nd year of my UG studies. My family was facing some financial troubles – and I took it upon myself to support my studies and provide whatever little I could to my family, by my own means. I started looking up some part time jobs, and managed to get one – but apparently at 19 years old I was not smart enough to face the real world, got defrauded and wound up not getting paid for a month’s work, which further worsened my situation and hopes. But there was that lone voice inside me that kept pushing me, kept me motivated. Eventually, I got a job teaching JEE Physics to 11th and 12th Graders at a coaching institute ; the schedule seemed brutal for me at that time, teaching physics 5 AM to 9 AM and then attending my UG classes from 9:30 AM onwards, but I kept at it, one day at a time. All around me I could see my friends having fun and I felt bad missing out on it , but I had something unique : a batch of 40 students who looked up to me, students for whom I felt responsible for, students who I still care about. I continued teaching for another 2 years through college, even though there was not any need for me to do so – because I enjoyed it, and because I felt I was adding value to the students, and to myself eventually.
Fast forward to present, and I am facing down challenges everyday as a student at MDI Gurgaon. Resuming rigorous study after working for 2 years has not been as easy as I imagined, but I can still hear that voice inside telling me to push on – and thanks to my previous experiences, I believe my hit rate has improved.
So here’s to new beginnings, new challenges and to keep listening to that voice inside all of us – the voice that tells us - “ You can do it! ”
