Aditya Khemani's First Ever Corporate Experience AT PPG Asian Paints - XIMB

“Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.”
― Charles Bukowski

Well, an ardent fan of Pink Floyd and Metallica, my mentor used to exhort something along similar lines. During the 2 months at PPG Asian Paints, Mumbai, the best thing that happened to me (apart from the local trains, of course!) was my mentor. Challenging the status quo, Collaboration across boundaries and Customer centricity, were the three C’s which we (the interns, 8 of us) were asked to always keep in mind, irrespective of the project which we were supposed to deliver. At the outset, I had to instill in an individual’s mind that, the paint industry is far beyond the decorative segment, ranging from marine, automotive (OEM & refinish), industrial segments to the coatings of the beer and aerosol cans! So, it was our second day at the office, probably, when we were sure of what we were going to do for the upcoming 58 days, before we head back. My projects, being real ones (live), or more specifically roadblocks for the smooth functioning of the process(s) at PPGAP, had me deal with clientele which was too crucial and sensitive, for the company. The heads up being, any mistake from my side, or in my project, directly affects our ties with the clients. “With great power, comes great responsibility” – or I would rather rephrase, “With great responsibility, you end up with a lot of power in disguise”. This is again, where my mentor (and guide) comes into the picture, who not only authorised me to fly across southern India for my analysis but also deemed me worthy of the authority and independence which was required throughout. Flat structure, cooperative team members, approachable business heads and the CEO himself, not to forget – the co-interns, and most importantly – the free lunch, kept me motivated and going, this summer as an intern at PPGAP! All in all, for freshers like me – I think PPG Asian Paints is among the best places to taste the corporate experience for the first time, where learning and experience – never fail to surprise you!