In a world filled with media stunts and PR frenzy, there are a few brands that add value to our life without the excessive blowing of trumpets. Aditya Birla Group is one such brand that adds value to our lives without us even realizing it. When I was a kid, I recall multiple occasions when my parents would dress me up for fancy dress competitions, elocution, etc. I would unfailingly fail. Growing up, I somehow had the perception that I would get stuck on stage IF I did speak.
Fast forward a few years, I was in high school, doing well for myself when my English teacher allowed me to be a part of the debate club after reading my work in class. What did I do? I was excited, but I didn’t see it through as the fear of failure crept in again, and I let that opportunity go.
Although I did well academically, as I recalled these events, I was dejected. We also had the struggle of trying to build our own house, and the only thing we knew was that we were using UltraTech cement as they were the most reliable. The only happy memory of that phase was looking at bags of UltraTech cement waiting to be a part of my house. Although that dream didn’t manifest, anything related to Aditya Birla would remind me of the hope we had, and it still instills a ray of hope every time I come across them.
Once in college, I was determined to push myself and not let the fear of failure stop me. I walked into Allen Solly, Van Heusen and chose the best of clothes to get my professional look right. I meant business. These have lasted even now during my post-graduate education. Going to college also involved a long commute. Little did I know that Aditya Birla had a part to play even in local trains. However, I decided that I would never back down even if I failed a million times, even if I was tired after the commute. Every time something scared me, I went for it. I signed up for Just A Minute(JAM) competitions, and I signed up for dance. Anything that involved the stage or scared me, you’d see me there. However, we don’t live in a fantasy world or a movie. So things didn’t fall into place immediately. JAM Finals – I froze; Dance auditions with the seniors – I chickened out. However, unlike my old self, these failures drove me to push myself even harder. Now, I had my life-changing movie moment.
I graduated with a silver medal, hosted multiple events and even won the duet dance event. I actively continued participation at my workplace, and although things do terrify me even now, I have learned to push myself even if it is something that seems impossible, even when it scares the living daylights out of me. Through my journey, I have learned to unlearn, to work in a team, to collaborate, to be straightforward, accept my weaknesses just as I would accept my strengths and found some amazing people along the way.
A culmination of these experiences helped me toughen up and make my way to IIM Ranchi eventually in spite of a hectic work schedule. The pain of living away from home was even made easier by Idea-Vodafone, the service that I’ve subscribed to ever since I had a phone.
Did I think that I would be here when I began? No. I learned to drive my work with commitment, integrity, and passion. Surprisingly, these are some of the values of the Aditya Birla Group. They actively give back to the society by actively making a difference in women empowerment, agriculture, health care, sustainable living, and what not. “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” They aren’t just an empire but a company that has made a difference in the lives of many.