Part A: Just as the Hindi word ‘Aditya’ means the sun, the Aditya Birla Group holds no less significance in our lives than the mighty sun itself. It would not be incorrect to say that like the first rays of the sun touch the horizon only to light up the sky, the group too has lit up the lives of the people of the Indian subcontinent. With their extremely well-known brands that prevail in all sectors, ranging from fashion to infrastructure and even telecommunication, Aditya Birla Group has brought smiles on millions of faces, mine being one of them. As I trace my journey from my formative years to my present, I see that the group has always played an indispensable part in my success. From buying my first formal suit from Van Heusen, which helped me get through the interview process at IMT Ghaziabad to buying my favourite dress from Forever 21, this multinational conglomerate has always had an undeniable presence in my life. Being here at IMT Ghaziabad, I make sure that I stay in constant touch with my family and Vodafone Idea Limited has certainly made it an extremely convenient process. Moreover, I sit comfortably in my hostel room knowing that my family is safe at home owing to Ultratech cement, which was a key component used in the construction of my house. Thus, I am truly grateful for the presence of Aditya Birla Group in the various markets, as they touch the lives of not just those who are here in the Indian subcontinent but also million others around the globe.
Part B: Throughout my schooling years, I have participated in a variety of sporting events, like athletics, yoga, swimming and even football. As a member of the school football team, I represented my school at the national level three years in a row. This is one of my biggest achievements, though it did not come easy to me. As a girl, I faced a lot of resistance from society. For the outside world, football was always a men’s sport. It stood for character traits like aggression and violence, which was understood as being ‘natural’ to men. Many had failed to understand that no sport reinforces such traits, but only promotes values like team-spirit and sportsmanship, and so did football. Society often creates an expectation and tries to define the way a person should behave, depending on their identity as a belonging to a particular gender, caste, creed or class. In my case, my family was the most supportive group of people. Despite the resistance, my family always encouraged me to take a step forward, even if it meant breaking stereotypes. They made sure that I attended all my training sessions, went for all the relevant matches and competitions. But most importantly, at each moment that I doubted myself, thought of myself as weak, felt as if I was unable to match the expectations of others or even my own, they made me believe that I have the potential to achieve all that I aspire to. Today, as I take a look at where I am today, I am filled with gratitude towards my family, for having helped me stand of my own two feet!