I come from a small town in Chhattisgarh called ‘Bhatapara’. My uncle spent his entire life working in Ultratech Cement in Baloda Bazaar which is quite close to our home and have retired 3 months back. He was the only person in our family who ventured on his own and didn’t join our family business, which was very inspiring for me and my younger brother. His tenure at Ultratech changed him as a person. He wasn’t a typical Indian household uncle; he was someone we could have open ended discussions about anything under the sun. He was like a father figure to me and was the only one who supported me for pursuing higher studies when I was younger and still struggling to find my way in life. Had he not been a part of Aditya Birla Group in some way, I doubt I would have been where I am right now.
After completing under graduation, I landed a job in Mumbai. As every other person residing in Mumbai, Marine drive and Worli Sea link was my favourite place to get away from chaos of my work life. One beautiful evening, while I was sitting on Band Stand, we tried to research about how it was constructed. Fun Fact: it’s made from Ultratech Cement! I was fascinated by the reach ABG group has in our lives! It’s literally touching millions of lives every single day. And now, after stepping into the next stage of my life at IIFT Kolkata, I discovered that many ancient buildings in Kolkata have been made using Ultratech cement. I had the wonderful fortune of exploring two cities in India which is known to have a ‘soul’ and Ultratech Cement was an integral part of both of them.
When I opted for Idea Cellular Network as my choice to connect with people back in 2012, I had no idea that it was also a part of ABG. ABG has been bringing me close to my family since the time I didn’t really understand the concept of brands and their impact on our lives.
The first time when I had to go out and buy formals for my campus placements in graduation, I did a deep research on which brand to go for and what would be the best option for me. Surprisingly, I discovered that brands like Louis Philippe, Peter England, Van Heusen and Allen Solly who I thought were International brands are all a part of ABFRL! Being someone who enjoys shopping to my core, a considerable amount my wardrobe is filled with clothes from Forever21, as they are fashionable and affordable at the same time and they make me feel like I am still 21!
So just like ABG group says, ‘Big is Microscopic’, I believe that ABG has played a big part in all these microscopic things in my life, which has definitely made me a better, more empathetic and a happier person.
How I overcame challenges to achieve my ambitions in life
There were times in my life when the weight was too much for me to bear. Now, I could talk about the challenges I faced at work or at my school. But in reality, the biggest challenge which I had to overcome was in my personal life. Growing up with a single parent was hard. I was 10 years old, with a younger brother to look after, an elder sister who was angry at life and a mother who just lost her husband. There were times when I had to fight for simply surviving through the day.
Since I was young, I wanted to do something ‘big’ in my life. Unaware of exactly what that ‘big’ was, I simply strived for excellence. Being a girl child in a rural area made me resilient and I learned to fight my own battles. I was the first girl in my hometown who went out of town for higher studies and since then I have had the opportunity to live in all major cities in India. As difficult as it was, all three of us are now on our own paths. Our mother incubated very strong values in us and we drew strength from each other, growing together.
I have completed my Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering, gained corporate exposure with a company like Capgemini India Pvt. Ltd, cleared one of the most prestigious exams like IIFT and secured admission in it. I would say all these setbacks in my life simply made me stronger. I carried myself with Integrity with a commitment to never settle. Now, I am looking forward for opportunities in the form of challenges to overcome them and do even better in life.