Number 1 in fashion (branded apparel) and lifestyle player. Number 1 in grey cement, white cement and concrete. Number 1 mobile telephone company. Number 2 in manufacture of viscose filament yarn. A leader in life insurance and asset management. Companies spend decades becoming leaders in any one such domain. And then there is a company, which holds all the before-mentioned titles together. A company that prides itself in its vision of being a premium global conglomerate with a clear focus on each of the businesses. A company that just does not talk integrity, commitment, passion, seamlessness and speed but actually walks the talk. A US$ 44.3 billion corporation, in the league of Fortune 500, built on strong foundation of stakeholder value creation, Aditya Birla Group (ABG) is a pride of the world.
If you are an Indian, you can be sure to have been impacted by ABG sometime, somewhere in your life. Below I would like to elaborate 2 instances where ABG has been big in my life.
Story 1: PANTALOONS
"What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language." —Miuccia Prada
If anyone happens to visit a shopping mall in India, chances are you will find a big area separated exclusively for Pantaloons. Pantaloons, a part of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, is your one-stop destination for anything related to fashion. And for me, it is the be-all and end-all when it comes to shopping for my new clothes. So, coming to me, right now, I am studying at a premier b-school in Pune, pursuing my MBA. The journey has been tough but exciting. How Pantaloons became a part of this journey is what you will find if you read on. After receiving my entrance exam scores, I started preparation for my interviews. However, I knew I had to look presentable to the respected interviewers and putting on a formal shirt, in my opinion, won’t make the cut. So, I needed a suit and that too, fast. So, I did what I do every time I need to buy a new fashion apparel. I raided the Pantaloons near my home at Kolkata (City Centre 2). In my opinion, this branch is among the best I have seen in North Kolkata, with huge stock of clothes, endless variety, nice and courteous staff and an overall well-maintained outlet. Like always, Pantaloons didn’t disappoint me. With the help of a friendly staff, I zeroed down to a black suit which suited my frame comfortably. I bought it and felt confident of looking good for the interview. Indeed, the interview went quite well and he praised me for how professionally I was dressed for the occasion. The suit from Pantaloons is still with me, being a part of every major conference, seminar, guest lecture or interview I go to in my college.
Story 2: PETER ENGLAND
A brand which has been listed in top 5 most trusted brands in apparel category for 7 consecutive years in India. A brand synonymous with Indian men in formal and casual menswear segments. Peter England has been my go-to company for trust when it comes to buying and wearing formal shirts. So, my father gifted me 4 formal Peter England shirts on my birthday during my 4
th year in engineering college. He asked to keep them ready for the placement week. So, when the placement week came, 4 IT majors were lined up each day from Monday to Thursday. My father told me the time had come for me to wear those shirts and go for the interviews. I heeded his advice and wore each one for each of the 4 interviews. And when the results came, I found out that I had managed to bag job offers from all the 4 companies. In fact, out of 3000 students in our batch, I was one among 98 others who managed that feat. There was a sense of pride and accomplishment in me during that moment. Those 4 formal shirts have become very special to me and I always ensure that I wear them on any special occasion, not only for it being comfortable but also as a sign of good luck. Peter England shirts had, is and will always be a part of my life.