Part A: Aditya Birla Group (ABG) is omnipresent in our lives with its vast bouquet of offerings. It is very difficult to look around and not find a single product not manufactured by ABG. I personally have been associated with this group since childhood. My first association with the group in standard 9 when I received my first mobile phone which my sister and I were sharing. My parents had laid down the condition that my sister and I would have to get the phone recharged with our own pocket money. Then began our hunt to find the network service provider who not only had good network in our area but also had recharge plans which we could afford. We zeroed in on Idea and thus began our 5 years long association. So, Idea was my first lesson in personal finance, fund management and optimal use of limited resources. During these 5 years, I appeared in Board exams, cleared public competitions, moved cities, became adult but my contact number remained constant. The idea number was the first number my friends saved on their phones and even today, 9 years later, some still have that. Whenever I look at the yellow logo of Idea, I am immediately transported to my school days which seems like from another life. I still vividly remember those late-night school gossip sessions with my girlfriends, those cute text messages with my crush, me calling home in panic upon missing the curfew time, my crash course lectures to my friends the night before the exams. Eventhough today I use multiple brands of ABG group, nothing can match the impact Idea has had on my life. It has been a huge part of my teenage life and I think both of us have come of age together.
Part B: It is said that our ability to handle life’s challenges is a measure of our strength of character. Human life is full of challenges but there are some challenges which really test your mettle and change your outlook towards life. One such challenge that I faced on a personal level was overcoming the demise of my father when I was in school. It happened very suddenly when I was in my 10
th standard, just 6 months away from my Board exams. My life had turned upside down overnight and I felt helpless and clueless. I had to take care of my family on one hand and had to get back to my studies on the other hand. Then I decided to get my act together and behave like an adult. I figured out that the only way to handle this grief was to shift my focus away from it and divert my attention to my studies. I learnt how to prioritise things in my life and how to have tunnel vision of your goals. These lessons came in very handy when I faced other challenges in my life, later. I worked extremely hard for my board exams and passed out with flying colours. You can never overcome these kinds of losses, but you learn to live them as each day passes. So, no matter what are the challenges that you face in your life, believe in yourself, take them head on, dig deep within yourself and emerge victorious. Remember, giving up is never an option!