Part 1 : Why Aditya Birla Group is big in my life
The extent of diversity and reach of Aditya Birla Group (ABG) has grown at a tremendous pace from its early days through carefully targeted market expansion and acquisitions. The very fact that the company was established a century prior to India’s independence is a testament to the rock-solid foundation that has propelled it toward s the multi-billion-dollar business conglomerate that it is right now. The business strategy of branching out into extremely diverse fields and franchising under a different name in each sector has certainly played a pivotal role in this success story.
ABG is an absolute giant in the textile industry, operating from various countries like India, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and China and is the world’s largest producer of viscose stable fiber. It is mind-blowing to think that some of the most popular fashion brands in India like Louise Philippe Van Heusen and Peter England (Some of my favorite choices when I am looking to expand my wardrobe). It also owns Pantaloons and acquired exclusive rights to Forever 21, both of which are growing in popularity and can be spotted in most shopping malls across the country. There is a clever business strategy at play here by making these name sound like foreign brand, further appealing to the Indian market by giving a premium feel.
My first SIM card was that of Idea cellular, which lo and behold, is owned by ABG. Idea cellular quickly rose in popularity following its inception through innovative advertisement campaign and marketing strategies. It surpassed Airtel in 2018 as the largest telecom company in India through a merger with Vodafone.
While working in my previous company I had an insurance policy with Aditya Birla Sun Life insurance. SO the group also has its talons burrowed deep into the financial service sector through mutual funds, housing finance, health insurance etc. If all these statistics aren’t staggering enough, ABG also own ultra tech cement which is extremely popular in the cement industry as well as Hindalco Industry.
Part 2 : How I overcame challenges to achieve my ambitions in life so far
When I think of the biggest obstacles that I have had to overcome in my life so fa there are two things that stand out from the rest.
The first one was a crippling stage fear that I had during my school days which kept me chained tight to a passive existence where I could only dream about standing in front of a crowd, let alone speak out confidently or god forbid, give a performance. This caused me heavily and took a huge toll on my confidence level so much so that I would go to great lengths to avoid being put in situations where I would have to face a group. The way I overcame this might seem a bit counter-intuitive but when you think about it, it’s extremely simple. When I started out in college I just took a leap of faith. The first time that I was asked to speak in front of a crowd, I just spoke out whatever came to my mind with a confidence that surprises me to this very day. The logic was that after all, none of these new faces knew anything about me, meaning that they had no preconceived notions on who I am. So the way I present myself then would be the way that I am perceived to be for the rest of my college days. But I didn’t stop there, I also learned dancing by referring YouTube videos and started performing as well, which further boosted my confidence.
The second instance is a near fatal bike accident I had in 2018 while I was on a road trip with my roommate. The crash destroyed my helmet, broke my left forearm completely and dislocated my hip (which the doctors said could have permanently left me crippled if it had been 0.5 cm more). This was accompanied by a series of tragic events in my personal life, including the suicide of a friend all of which drowned me into the depths of despair and a pit of depression. Fortunately, I had a couple of close friends and family who helped me pick myself up, dust myself off and for better or worse molded me into the person I am today. Every day is a new experience and an opportunity to learn and improve yourself.
#IIMBG
#ABGWOO