ABG and Me - Strength binds us together- Satvik Mahajan, FMS Delhi

Why Aditya Birla Group is big in my life

Aditya Birla Group has roots tracing back more than 160 years back in what was a ‘What an Idea Sirji!’ moment. It should come as no surprise that it has closely followed India’s progress and has been one of main drivers behind the same. From metals to cement to textile to telecom, ABG has spread its wings across sectors, bringing with it $44B+ revenue. I have been associated with ABG for a long time now. I still remember the UltraTech cement advertisement on TV and the tagline it shared ‘The Engineer’s Choice’. Turns out engineer’s a.k.a. my choice is still ABG and its subsidiaries. As I was getting ready to go shopping for my dream B-school, which had to be completed in 2 days, the choices were clear, I went to Louis Philippe and VanHeusen for formals and Pantaloons and People to look for casual wear. These are the brands I have trusted since long. I still remember smile on my sister’s face when I gifted her dress from FOREVER 21 from my salary. The love story does not end here. A Vodafone user since 2013, I trusted Idea cellular as my second operator and never have they let down, be it from Jaisalmer to hills of Shillong. Even with new launches that promoted aggressive pricing, the value provided by Vodafone-Idea was worth it. School time is one of my most cherished memories and lunch time was one eagerly awaited. To get that fresh aroma of home-made food as I unwrapped ‘SuperWrap’ foil, it’s something I miss as I get down to eat. There are so many brands I haven’t even tried, but hopefully, will get to experience them soon.

Overcoming challenge

‘Cometh the hour, Cometh the man’. I believe this is a quote that describes any human being the best. An opportunity or a challenge kicks in fighting instinct within. It makes us resilient and motivates us to get stronger the next moment. Every person faces such challenges and it’s the responses to the same that show strength of character. Such times have always accompanied me and admittedly, it felt easier to give up but I always had support of my family and friends to see these moments through. One such challenging time was October-November 2018 when my personal ambitions and duties came head to head. I had been preparing for CAT-2018 for past 3 months then and October was time to go full throttle, but as I was working for an international Investment Bank, meant that equal attention had to be paid to the same. The release of my project was expected to go through in coming months and team was expecting me to give more. This made me jittery, on one hand I had a job I could ill-afford to ignore, on other hand, desire for my dream B-school. This was already third attempt at CAT and time was running out. Many could have given up on their dreams and would have gotten on with their jobs but I wanted to fight. I got support of my team and friends at this time, while I fought off all distractions in life. This meant giving more time at office, followed by sleepless nights to prepare for CAT. Admittedly, it was tough and meant I had to go through myriad of issues, like food and health but once I got to tackle one of my Achilles’ heel, the time management and prioritisation of tasks, everything got streamlined. And believe me, its worth it as I write this article in B-school of my dreams.