The BIG always starts from something small. Little did Kumar Mangalam Birla know that Aditya Birla
Group will be one of the largest private conglomerates of India, when he took over the mantle from
Aditya Birla in 1995. Instilled with core values of Integrity, Commitment, Passion, Seamlessness,
Speed, it has been maintaining itself in the fortune 500. Knowingly or unknowingly Aditya Birla
Group has become a major part of our lives. Rarely a day has passed when one hasn’t used a Birla
product.
ABG has always been the BIG player. From the perfect sense of fashion to the Indian railways, the
contribution has been massive. Being an MBA student interested in Marketing, I have always held
interest in fashion and retail. My first visit to such a place was Pantaloons in Bhubaneswar. All
brands at one place is a dream come true for fashionistas. My favourite brands Peter England, Van
Heusen, Allen Solly were lined up. Not only clothes, it had food courts as well. It changed the way
people experienced shopping.
The people commuting in Mumbai, very few know that the Bandra-Worli sea link was a project
undertaken by ABG. It was inspiring to know that ‘The Engineer’s choice’
Ultra Tech Cement of ABG had spent 0.1 million metric ton of cement for this world class
architecture.
A day isn’t complete without a video call from Mom. Idea makes it possible. The Vodafone Idea
network also owned by ABG has given a new dimension for cheap communication. The T & D lines,
substations all have ABG embedded in them. The insulators by Grasim make them functional.
One can go on and on about the impact of ABG in one’s life. A big conglomerate such as itself having
a great number of verticals is sure to have influenced the life of not only a billion Indians but also
throughout the world.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES TO SUCCEED IN MY AMBITIONS
“Whatever the struggle, continue the climb. It may be only one step to the summit.” – Diane
Westlake
My life has faced challenges in almost every aspect. True to the above saying, if I had given up, I
would still be that immature, struggling guy. Among the many, my fiercest challenge was in the
corporate world. The transformation from College to Corporate was tough but exciting. The real
problem arrived when I was allocated to a team which had a different speciality than what I was
trained in. Being in a banking project where every second counts, I was roped into the new work. It
was unfamiliar territory to me. I gathered as much as I could in the knowledge transfer. Being a team
player, I gathered insights from colleagues as well. But it wasn’t enough.
Mere days after joining, my responsibilities grew. I had to be extra careful with my work as I couldn’t
afford a mistake in a customer-oriented project. It slowed me down. This phase was a setback for
me. The only thing I felt I did right was not losing my cool. I had to get in the game. I prioritized my
time and dedicated my hours to learning about the vertical. I was in for long hours. I saw everyone
going for weekend parties, but I stayed back and practised. One week of full dedication resulted in
me being fluent in my work. A year down the line I was promoted and was awarded with Performer
of the Year award. I still remember those days of struggle with a hint of pride because sometimes
struggle is exactly what we need in our life.
#ABGLP #ABGWOOME #XIMB
