I have been always an easy-going person in life. Since childhood, I never had to go out of my way to achieve something. All this changed when I entered my undergraduate college. Standing in a pool of highly intelligent individuals, I was no longer the best in the room. This was the time when I also realized that my interests lie more in the domain of finance. I was intrigued by the movements of the stock market and was fascinated by the stories of fortunes being made and lost in a matter of seconds. I had my eyes set on the financial services industries, but being an engineer, the avenues available to me were limited. I first set off learning the basics of finance and trading through college clubs and online resources. I also participated in multiple online competitions to pit myself against a crowd better than me. The results were mixed, win some and lose some. I received a golden opportunity to become more proficient in the field of finance when my college offered me a Minor in Finance, where we could study basic finance subjects under the guidance of some of the best faculties and industry experts. This was the time I realized that to fully achieve my dreams and potentials, I would need a formal education in finance, which only an MBA could provide. I started preparing for CAT alongside my internship at JP Morgan Chase. This in itself was a big challenge, juggling a demanding internship with an equally important exam preparation. Fortunately, I was able to secure an admission at FMS and am one step closer to realizing my dream. The journey has not ended in any way, rather, the next chapter has just started.
Why Aditya Birla Group is big for me?
The Aditya Birla Group is one of the oldest conglomerates based out of India. It was founded in 1857 by Seth Shiv Narayan Birla and now has operations in 35 countries with 120,000 global employees. The sheer size of the business operations ensure that we interact with some or the other ABG brand on a daily basis. Although I didn’t know at that point of time, my first encounter with an Aditya Birla brand was when I went shopping for clothes at Pantaloons. It was when I was at the billing counter and saw the iconic Aditya Birla logo behind the counter that I realised the true penetration of the group in our lives. Not only was Pantaloons part of the Aditya Birla group, but many of the fashion brands like Peter England, Van Heusen and Ralph Lauren. I also realized that the Ted Baker deodorant I used was part of ABG. The lunch that my mother used to pack daily for school used to be in a Freshwrapp aluminium foil. ABG, in a way, helped me quench my hunger daily.
Aditya Birla group also impacts the society through their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. They have worked in over 5000 villages and reached out to 7.5 million people. Over the last 50 years, ABG has done extensive work with people below the poverty line. The group runs 5000 medical camps and provides mid-day meals to 63,000 children in 268 schools. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to measuring the social impact of the group.
Aditya Birla Group carries with it the rich legacy of 162 years. It has grown with the country, weathered the same storms and in the end became an everyday presence in the life of a common man.