Part A: Why Aditya Birla Group is big in your life
Cell phone coverage is one of the few things that has turned into a necessity for each one of us. I still remember getting my first Idea sim and mobile number, when I was in 10
th standard. Living in the hilly district of Wayanad, Kerala, Idea Cellular was the only company which offered comprehensive network coverage. As a first impression, the Aditya Birla Group appealed to me as the one single company which wanted to negotiate the tough terrains of Wayanad to provide mobile connectivity to the masses. Over the years, my fascination with the Aditya Birla Group grew without even me noticing it. For example, I grew fond of the Louis Philippe brand for my clothing such that shopping for my favourite apparel generally started and ended at the nearest Louis Philippe outlet. Needless to say, I chose Louis Philippe when it came to picking the shop and brand for the big day of my life – My marriage. By then, the staff at the LP outlet in my hometown Kollam, were well versed with my tastes and choices. They even had the dress delivered to my doorstep after some minor alterations in the dresses for a perfect fit. Donning a sapphire blue suit and “Gods and Kings” labelled shirt from LP, I still remember people complimenting my choice of the brand and dress. “The upper crest” really did the talking. My love for the brand has made me into a brand ambassador of sorts in my friends’ circle.
Part B: How you overcame challenges to achieve your ambitions in life so far
Teaching was one of my passion in life, as I had realised during my part-time teaching stints in my undergraduate days. After completing my Bachelors, I took up a Lecturer position, in one of the colleges near my home, even though I had other placement offers in hand. However, a year into my job, AICTE released an order stating that a Masters degree is a compulsory requirement for teaching in engineering colleges. That forced me to enroll for a Master’s program in engineering. Soon, I finished my masters and joined an engineering college as Assistant Professor. One of my first assignments was to teach a course in Marketing Management. Although new to the subject, I taught it will zeal and enthusiasm, so much so that I fell in love with the subject. That is when, when I realised my aptitude and love for management, especially in Marketing. In the meanwhile, my personal life took a tumultuous turn as I welcomed my better half i.e. my wife into my life. My marriage was life-changing decision but an even more challenging job was my preparation for CAT in the midst of all this chaos. But my keen interest to learn management and hope for a career change led me forward. My efforts bore fruit on the day, the admission results were announced and I secured admission in one of the leading IIMs of the country. My transformation from a teacher’s position to that of a student’s, was nothing short of a challenge. Managing my personal life and continuing my education in this temple of management education continues to be an ongoing challenge for me. The optimist in me tells me that my experiences of managing and taking such challenges head-on will stand me in good stead in the future too.
#IIMRaipur #ABGLPWooMe #IdeaCellular #Inspiration #InspiringStories #Challenges #LouisPhilippe #MBAafterMarriage #CAT