In our journey towards achieving our goals, we all face challenges which we need to overcome through dedication, hard work, and perseverance. Some of the most prominent leaders such as Mr. Ghanshyam Das and Vikram Das have shown us what it takes to build a conglomerate as big as the Birla empire in India by bracing against all odds. A quote by Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam has had the biggest influence on my life – “Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that does not let you sleep.” And my dream was always to get into one of the top B-schools of the country. This was easier said than done. My journey towards achieving this dream started when I was pursuing my engineering. Before pursuing an MBA I wanted to gather work experience from a reputed firm that will help me understand the nuances of how an organization works. A few months into work was when I decided to start preparing for the MBA entrance examinations. Things started to get tough, as the job was demanding and consumed most of the time, there were times when I felt like giving up but the dream of pursuing a prestigious MBA kept me awake during nights preparing meticulously for the examinations. The weekends were consumed by classes and tests which took a toll on my social life and giving me hardly any time to unwind myself. But all these challenges which I was facing made me stronger by the day and taught me important life lessons on how to prioritize things daily, how to utilize time most optimally and how to sacrifice certain things to achieve the bigger goal. The hard work paid off when I performed well in the entrance examinations and was called for interviews with several prestigious colleges in the country. The day finally arrived when the results were out and I was selected for the MBA program at IIFT, Delhi. On 24th June 2019 when I was joining the program the words “IIFT Bhawan” right at the main gate welcomed me warmly. This was when I could reflect upon all the tough grind and challenges, I had to overcome to stand here. It instilled the belief in me that we must never give up on our ambitions and keep trying sincerely until we achieve them.
How Aditya Birla Group has impacted my life ?
Aditya Birla Group is one of India's largest conglomerates and also a major Indian corporation with the most international reach. Its mission to deliver superior value to our customers, shareholders, employees and its contribution to society has been instrumental in making the company a ubiquitous part of the society we live in. It is highly likely that at some point in time most of us have had ABGs influence in our lives. Having been at the forefront of business for seven decades ABGs businesses have grown into global powerhouses in a wide range of sectors ranging from metals, textiles, carbon black to telecom and cement. The group which employees around 120,000 people is built on the tenets of stakeholder value creation and also aims to become the leading conglomerate for sustainable business practices by balancing its economic growth with environmental and societal interests. One of the biggest roles which ABG has played in my life is when I bought my first suit from Van Heusen for attending my first job interview in engineering. I was sitting for an interview with one of my dream companies and I was all nervous. I mustered all my courage, did well in the interview and secured a job there. This entire episode in my life formed a very close connection between me and the suit which I was wearing. They say ‘Always dress like it’s the best day of your life’ and this is how the attire helped me. I derived a sense of confidence and strength from my attire and that helped me to face situations in life that were demanding. During any important events in my life such as attending all the B-School interviews, on my first day at campus in IIFT, I always chose the suit which I had purchased from Van Heusen as it had become a part of my journey during my success. The group has offerings in the fashion space which cater to different sections of the society which has been made possible with a flexible price range. They offer a casual line of clothing through their brands like Allen Solly and Hackett London. It has never been easier to buy gifts since the launch of Forever 21. Also, they have gained a competitive edge over others in the fashion space with the addition of American Eagle and Ralph Lauren to the set of brands they offer. A single business of the group has had such a big impact on my life, given the number of industry sectors they operate in, they influence and affect the lives of various people positively within India as well as other countries across the world.