1857 the year remembered as the great revolt of India. Indeed, it was, as India saw the beginning of a dramatic change and a huge uprising which signified the real strength of our people. Ironically it was the same year Mr Seth Shiv Narayan Birla was laying the foundation for the house of Birla, which would later go on to become India's most significant contributor for its growth.
An organisation so old and diverse, how can it not be a part of our lives? When I think of it, the first thing that comes to my mind is the closet full of clothes that I have bought from their fashion brands like People, Allen Solly & Pantaloons (my shopping haven). But as I backtrack, I realise how the brand has shaped my choices and my lifestyle. My home is my base, and it stands firm on their ultra tech cement. The beautiful highways and flyways that I marvel at exist because of the incredible strength that the ultra tech cement provides. In school, the most awaited part of my day was the lunch break. Freshwrap aluminium foil, a Hindalco product kept my lunch hot and fresh. Of course, the subsidiary company has also contributed to much bigger domains such as automobiles, building and construction, defence and electronic products. And when I talk to my parents living far away from me through the idea network, I think ABG can't play a more significant role than this. The idea network has touched the lives of the people living in the remotest places. But perhaps for me, their most likeable product is the Grasim's man-made, biodegradable fibre similar to cotton. This innovation has given a new meaning to fashion by making clothing comfortable and being environment-friendly.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to attend a friend's wedding last month in Nagda. One hour from the city of Ujjain, Nagda has Grasim's industrial unit, which is the largest manufacturer of Viscose staple fibre in Asia. I was amazed to see how an unexplored land was turned into a major industrial town by virtue of the leaders of the Aditya Birla group. It is a perfectly planned township and has a rustic beauty to it. Think of so many job opportunities that the group is providing for the nearby workers and villagers. Like Nagda, there are so many places such as Muri(Jharkhand), Baloda(Chattisgarh), that the ABG has restructured and led them towards their growth.
ABG is one of the few organisations which is not only expanding globally but also reaching the interiors of India to boost the economy of the country. They have been working actively to develop skills and empower people through their Aditya Birla Skills Foundation initiative for sustainable livelihood.
ABG Group is BIG not just in my life but also in so many other people like me, who dream of being big and aspire to live. With its diverse reach in business, the opportunity that the group provides to contribute as a professional is invaluable.
How I overcame my challenges?
There are so many things we are made to believe in our lives, regardless of them being true or not. It has been told us so many times that we start considering them fundamental truths. Today when I look back, I realise I had also held on to one such myth very firmly. Till class X I liked all the subjects that were taught in school. Although maths wasn't my favourite subject, it was also not something I tried avoiding. But as I reached class XI, I started fearing maths. I started believing that I wasn't good at it. Without understanding the reason behind my bad performance, I started attributing my failure to my natural characteristic.
I went to my undergraduate school with the same attitude. I aimed for an average grade, as I thought I was never capable of getting more. I managed to get what I intended and passed out of college. Working in an IT firm, I hardly had to solve any math problem. But in the back of my mind, I was always worried about my future as I was unsure if I could ever get a top MBA college with such bad problem-solving skills. In my first attempt at CAT, my fear dominated my mind, and I performed extremely bad. I was dejected as I felt I wouldn't be able to do my MBA as I was not good at something. After days of being sad, I thought of giving it another try. This time I took a step back and tried understanding why I was dreading the subject. I identified a few areas where I could work upon. Time-based practise one such area. I needed more time for that. Hence, I decided to give up my job. It was a huge risk for me. A lot of people advised me against it. But I had made up my mind, and I wanted to break all those false notions that I had built over so many years. This time I did not aim for the average marks.
Finally, it was the day of the examination. As I was in the second slot, I knew that the quants section was going to be difficult. I attempted the exam with my new rational, and calmly solved all the problems that I knew. Although I didn't score the highest marks, I got decent enough marks to get me into a B-school of my choice. I know the struggle is not over for me yet. I will face much bigger problems in life ahead, but at least now, I have the mantra to overcome my fears and challenges.