Aditya Birla Group, a 162 year old multinational conglomerate, has made its way into every nook and corner of the country and impacted our lives in one way or another. From the humble beginnings of a jute manufacturing company to its current position where it has become industry leaders across a wide spectrum of sectors, the ABG group has done wonders. Personally, I have seen the change it has brought to our lives on all levels, either directly or indirectly. I come from Jorhat, a small but beautiful town tucked away in the northeastern part of the country. The ABG group has slowly but surely made its presence felt there. Earlier, Assam and the seven sister states of India had been a neglected and poor lot of states in terms of infrastructure, industries, opportunities etc. The ABG group has acted as an initiator in these avenues. From the bridges connecting the two valleys of Assam to the multitudes of industries that have come up, Ultratech cement and other ABG products have been used extensively. It has also made people come closer and connect to each other by improving connectivity through their mobile service provider, Idea. It has also brought the world to our doorstep through retail brands like Pantaloons, Van Heusen etc. In doing this, they not only expanded their network but also brought along numerous opportunities for the youth to a place that was primarily dependent on agriculture and allied sectors. This opened the door to a whole lot of avenues for the entire northeastern region, bringing along better transportation, infrastructure, education etc. The ABG group has surely been instrumental in contributing to this. Now, when I see my cousin going to school with her tiffin filled with a meal neatly wrapped in a foil from the ABG group, I take great pride in reflecting the welcome change that the group has brought about to the region and lives of the people.
Dreams and success are not one-day wonders. It takes meticulous amounts of time, effort, dedication and perseverance to achieve one’s hopes and aspirations overcoming the numerous challenges life brings. My life till date has followed a similar trajectory. I had been quite an inquisitive and curious child. My parents noticed this trait and tried their best to help me to develop it. In spite of being from a very humble background, my parents emphasized the need for quality education. They tried to give me the best of facilities and resources for my education. I tried to reciprocate the same by devoting myself to my studies and securing good results. I had the ambition to get myself admitted to a premier institution and prove my worth. I was very good at my studies and used to excel in exams. But life had different plans for me. During my 7
th standard, I was diagnosed with a bone defect for which I had to get operated, twice. I ended up missing a good number of terms and this, in turn, affected my grades. I could not get into the college I aspired to after my 10
th boards. I could sense my parents were disappointed but they never discouraged me. I tried to make it up to them by excelling in the 12
th boards but was only able to do so to some extent. After that, I cleared many exams and got calls from numerous institutes, but ended up in a course and institution not suited to the best of my abilities and interests due to the lack of proper guidance. My parents wanted the very best for me, but even they were limited by their exposure and knowledge across domains, and me, by my grades. Even then, I did not give up. I strived to make the best use of the resources at my disposal and improve myself. I came across teachers who continue to guide me even today. They are the bedrock of the foundation that I am standing on today. After completing my undergraduation, I decided to appear for CAT. I cleared the exam, and now, here I am at IIM Trichy, with my parents proud and me, satisfied, having fulfilled one of my ambitions. But it does not end here. Education and life is a journey of continuous improvement, and I strive to excel and prove my worth in the challenges yet to come.