Part A – Aditya Birla Group is big in my life.
I would like to start with an anecdote that might sound funny but it is absolutely true. My maternal grandfather was working at Hindalco Industries at the time when I was born. During my name-keeping ritual, he pitched in an idea. Ghanshyam Das Birla, who was an iconic character of the Maheshwari Marwari community, had named his grandson Aditya Birla. Thus, my maternal grandfather suggested that my paternal grandfather, Ghanshyam Das Maheshwari, should name his grandson Aditya Maheshwari. That’s how my name came to be. So, I guess Aditya Birla Group has had a presence in my life since my birth. However, this is by far the smallest contribution of ABG.
I feel that every community has one idol that everyone aspires to be like and for us it has always been the Birlas. I vividly remember that the name Birla was synonymous to opulence and whenever I would throw a tantrum, my mother would have a very standard reply, “Birla ke Ghar mein paida hona chahiye tha tujhe” This line would make me wonder about the lifestyle of the Birlas which was accompanied by a dream to emulate this great household someday. Although building a premium global conglomerate is not everyone’s cup of tea, the least we can do is try to follow the five core values that guide the Aditya Birla Group- Integrity, Commitment, Passion, Seamlessness and Speed. Now I agree this is easier said than done but I feel that if I can even come close to imbibing all these values, I will be a successful person one day.
The Aditya Birla Group has been something of an omnipresent entity in my life. I can literally list its presence in every sphere of my life. From the Superwrap that my mother used to pack my tiffin to the suit by Van Heusen that I wore for my IIM Interview, from Ultratech cement being used in the construction of my house to the first gift that I bought for my girlfriend from Forever 21, Aditya Birla Group is the force behind it all. I am also sure of the fact that ABG might even have some presence which I am not aware of and so it can be rightly said that Aditya Birla Group is and will continue to be big in my life.
Part B- Overcoming challenges, because not even the sky is a limit.
Challenges are often perceived to be hurdles in the fulfilment of one’s ambitions. However, I believe that challenges make way for our success and unless one has faced some challenges in life, the sense of achievement doesn’t quite set in. That said, I would also like to mention that I have not faced any kind of grave challenge but the one I did face has shaped me into the person I am today.
In 2010, when I had not even entered my teens, I was admitted into the The Doon School which is one of the best boarding schools in the country. However, it was a full-time boarding institution and the thought of not living with my parents sent chills down my spine. Nevertheless, I joined the prestigious institution determined to be a part of its legacy. It was once I had spent a week there that I realised that how dependent I was on my parents for trivial things in my daily routine. In my defence, I was only twelve years old and a pampered single child. It was getting really tough to uphold the participation in the fast-paced life and there came a time when I broke down. My parents came to see me and the first thing that I told them was that I wanted to get out. It was tough for my parents to see me in that condition but they made it clear that quitting was not an option and that I would have to steer my way through whatever difficulties came my way. Thus began my journey of becoming independent at a very young age. I made friends that became family and learned lessons that no classroom can ever teach. By the end of it I didn’t want to leave because what I had spent was not just six years of my life but it was a life of six years. This experience gave me countless memories that I will cherish forever but above all it gave me a golden rule to stick by- “The path that looks the hardest initially, turns out to be the most rewarding.”