Part A: Why Aditya Birla Group is big in my life
Aditya Birla Group is a US $44.3 Billion conglomerate headquartered in Worli, Mumbai which operates in 35 countries with more than 120,000 employees worldwide. Since its inception in 1857 by Seth Shiv Narayan Birla, it has expanded its reach to industries like viscose staple fibre, cement, metals, chemicals, fertilizers, financial services, BPO and IT services to name a few. In India, it is the 3rd largest private sector conglomerate behind TATA group and RIL.
It justifies its mission to deliver superior value to its customers, shareholders, employees and society by not only providing impeccable products at a competitive price but also doing its share to uplift the society through its CSR activities. The Aditya Birla Group works in 5,000 villages, reaching out to 7.5 million people annually. Over 60 per cent of these people live below the poverty line and belong to marginalised and vulnerable sections of society. Its partners for various initiatives include WHO, CII, IGNOU, BAIF, CARD, Art of Living Foundation etc. and some local NGOs.
I believe in giving back to the society and one of the ways of doing that is helping underprivileged kids. Idea Cellular, an Aditya Birla Group company, supported women in self-help groups to set up urja lamp assembly units which helps provide solar lamps to children among schools. This has further helped in reducing kerosene consumption by 3.6 million liters in an year, thus reducing pollution and helping the environment.
In the fashion industry, the group is India’s largest fashion network under its subsidiary Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL). It includes brands like Pantaloons, Allen Solly, Van Heusen, Louis Philippe, Ralph Lauren and Forever 21, Allen Solly being my personal favorite. With its vast network of outlets all over the country, I am never short of options to choose from.
Those are a two of the many ways how Aditya Birla Group has been able to impact millions of lives across the country and globe, mine included. In the end, I would like to conclude by saying that the light is even brighter at the end of the tunnel for a group that never stops growing.
Part B: How I overcame challenges to achieve my ambitions so far
Different people choose different ways of looking at life. I have always tried to look at the brighter side of things even in the dire of circumstances. I have had my share of challenges in life, but I came out on top often, constantly learning from my failures and enjoying my success.
One of many challenges is the challenge of getting used to the environment around you. We as humans like to be within our comfort zone and run away from any change. I had a similar situation when I joined my first company. The work culture was very different to what I expected. From constantly being micromanaged by seniors to poor work life balance, it was taking toll on both my physical and mental health. After 16 months of struggle, I decided to quit my job to concentrate on preparing for entrance tests.
This journey had its own ups and downs. From scoring a meagre 50 percentile to 91 percentile before CAT 2018, I had had all my hopes riding on this one exam which would act as a boost for my career. However, a dismal performance during the exam shattered my dreams of getting into one of the coveted institutes of this country. But this was no time to back down. Instead, I got back up and prepared for other exams and by the end of May’19, I had converted two of my preferred colleges and now I am studying in one of them. I am thoroughly enjoying my time being a part of Goa Institute of Management, embarking on a new journey of facing challenges and learning from them.
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