More often than not, we don’t realise to what extent a firm or a group of firms affect our life. When we put ourselves to think for a minute, we can see how the world keeps changing and how those firms are making it happen. Aditya Birla Group is one of those big names which have impacted our life in some way or the other. The ABG started its journey as a cotton trading company in Pilani, Rajasthan in 1857. Today, it is a multinational conglomerate with 38 companies in 14 different industries, employing 1,20,000 people in 34 countries.
ABG has impacted my life as well like the way it has done to millions of others. I have been using Vodafone Idea cellular connection, a product of ABG, for a very long time to meet my social needs. I have also spent my bucks on apparel brands of the group, namely Louis Philippe, Allen Solly and Peter England and have always been happy with what they have to offer. The quality and the affordability of the products make it the highest selling branded apparel group. Similarly, there are many segments where the group has been catering to and we have been on the receiving side, knowingly or unknowingly. ABG is the world’s largest producer of carbon black, making our tyres stronger and safer. They are also number one in aluminium rolling production. In India, it is a leading player in life insurance, asset management and financial services segments and also the number one player in grey cement, white cement and concrete, helping to make Indian infrastructure stronger.
Surely, Aditya Birla Group is big in my life and for the ones who have been impacted by its offerings. But, it has also brought smiles to the faces of the underprivileged ones through its CSR contribution. It has reached out to 7.5 million people in more than 5,000 villages and has provided for education of the children and for the treatments of over million people. It’s all about making a difference and ABG has certainly made a big one.
How did I overcome challenges to achieve my ambitions in life so far?
Life is full of challenges. Isn’t it? My life has not been a roller coaster ride but not a smooth ride either. I have my bits of challenges in my personal as well as professional life. I wanted to be a cricketer when I was in school and I was pretty sure what do I want to make out of my life. I was passionate for the sport and gave my sweat and blood to it. I was in 10
th std. and I was getting myself ready for the U-16 trial with all the energy and passion. Just a week before the trials, my back got injured. I couldn’t sit for the trials. It was like a curse for a fast bowler and I was one. I took the help of medication, therapy and what not. Nothing seemed to work. I couldn’t continue playing cricket. It was surely the lowest point of my life. We don’t get everything we want in our life, do we? We got to make the best of whatever we get. I continued my cricketing journey in college where I played as a batsman in Inter College competitions of Delhi University. Though I was not as good at batting as I was at bowling, I enjoyed to be a part of the team and to contribute in the best way possible.
I have also faced challenges at the workplace where the work pressure challenges our values, office politics question our decisions and difficult situations challenge our intellects. And it was tougher to manage the work along with CAT preparation, but I didn’t compromise on my work. Despite the challenges, I always enjoyed my work and did justice to the same. I had greater aspirations and I had been working hard to get close to it. Today I’m glad to be a part of IIM Trichy. The journey had been challenging but I made sure it’s worth it.