Several firms grow big and turn profits, but not many can have a positive impact on everyone around them. Aditya Birla Group is one the select few firms that has maintained its high standards, all the while ensuring that there is no customer need that they cannot fulfil. ABG has such a strong portfolio of brands that each individual can identify with one of their brands. For me, that brand is Van Heusen.
I was never a fan of formal clothing during my formative years. Somehow it did not feel right to me. I was never comfortable in them, maybe they did not fit right, or I did not like the style. As I grew older, I could no longer just avoid certain events in life that required formal clothing. At some point during my undergraduate studies, I realised that formals were going to be a part of life and I had to figure out a way to deal with it.
That is when my friendship with Van Heusen began. I bought my first formal suit from Van Heusen and never in a million years would I have guessed what I was missing out on all these years. Maybe it was a combination of me growing out of my formal hating phase in life and the exceptional quality of products, but I still cannot pinpoint the reason why I starting liking wearing that suit.
To this day Van Heusen formals give me a sense of comfort and confidence. In MBA, formals are a part of my daily routine, and I can happily say that a part of ABG made me look forward to wearing formals each day.
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Almost everyone in my family is either from a commerce or arts background. I was one of the first to venture into the field of science and technology. After a decent performance in entrance examinations, I was able to get admission in USICT in Electronics and Communication Engineering. At that time, the thought of MBA, or even higher studies for that matter had not crossed my mind.
It was smooth sailing in the first two years as everything was going along fine. By the third year, I started to realise that maybe this was not my cup of tea. I was taking part in more and more non-technical activities, interviewing for executive positions in committees and in general moving away from the technical side of things.
I was still doing well in college but was going through a very confusing and challenging time as I was not able to decide the path I wanted to go down after my B.Tech. I consulted with my family, and they made it clear that they would back any decision I would take. That eased my mind a little, and I decided to focus on college and try to prepare for MBA examinations at the same time.
My family supported me the entire time, and with their moral support and backing, I was able to get a good score in CAT and get admission in IIT Delhi. The first year in the MBA life has been a testing one, but it has made one thing clear in my mind, keep trying and you’ll get what you want to achieve.