The plane landed in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at around 9:30 in the evening. My parents were waiting outside the terminal to receive me. Their son was returning home from Hyderabad, but this time they knew that he will not be booking any return ticket much to their delight.
After working for nearly two years in an IT-giant in Hyderabad, I found an opening for a project in my hometown Kolkata. I was looking for a new challenge and this was the perfect opportunity that I couldn’t miss. I gave an interview and the role was offered to me. Homecoming didn’t seem any sweeter for me.
I also had plans for preparing for the CAT in the back of my mind as I felt the urge to learn the business process that drives the technology. I knew that I needed to find the perfect work-life balance in order to crack CAT. I had little idea of how tough it would be when I joined my new office. In the initial days, the workload was less but it increased gradually as new objects were implemented in the system. The situation worsened as a senior member of the team left the organization. There was no replacement available at the moment and I found myself in the shoes of a team lead with junior resources reporting to me. Late hours at the office soon became a routine. But amidst all, I never drifted away from my goal of belling the CAT. Let it be for one hour in the morning but I practised daily. Due to the work pressure, I had to log on at the weekends from home as well but I had time to give a mock test. Also, I used to go for a movie or meet a friend once or twice in a month which kept my mind fresh. I appeared for CAT and thought had a decent go. Back in the office, I was getting recognized by my management for all the hard work done. A few months later, the CAT result was out and I had a good score.
I realized that if you have a good plan and a determination to executing it, no challenge can be bigger than your chance to succeed.
Why Aditya Birla Group is big in my life?
When we talk about Aditya Birla Group, we talk about one of the largest Indian conglomerates. The story of the growth of the group is inspiring in its own right as the journey of excellence starts from a cotton trader Shiv Narayan Birla back in the 1860s. Now in 2019, the group has transformed itself into a giant as it is operating in 35 countries around the globe and has more than 120000 employees under its payroll.
My life is surrounded by products of ABG. Starting from the house (UltraTech Cement) I live to the shirt (Allen Solly) I wear, hardly a day has passed when I didn’t use a product of ABG. After moving to Mumbai, I have taken a sim card of Vodafone which is also owned by ABG. Coming to the fashion and retail sector, Pantaloons has made a name for itself throughout India and one of the places to go when I look for quality garments in an affordable range. Many of us in Kolkata were blown away with their ‘Pujo with Pantaloons’ ad last year as it evoked the nostalgia of yesteryears.
The biggest example that I can give on how big Aditya Birla Group has been in my life is the fact that I have bought my casual t-shirts, jeans and formal shirts from a retail shop of Allen Solly near Gachibowli during my stay in Hyderabad for almost two years. The store had such a great collection that I never looked elsewhere. Moreover, the t-shirts were soft, light - perfect to beat the scorching summer in India.
Aditya Birla Group’s products and services have filled the life of every Indian with joy and I hope that it continues doing so in years to come.
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