In Pursuit of Excellence with Determination and Courage- Sagar Das, XIMB

                                                             Why Aditya Birla Group is Big in My Life As I sat down to list the products and services of the Aditya Birla Group (ABG) that I have used, I was really surprised that ABG has been serving me in so many different ways without even me realizing. But then, it is no wonder that a US $44.3 billion-dollar conglomerate that has thirty-eight companies under its umbrella touches the life of almost every Indian in some way or the other. I have been staying away from my family for quite some time now and ABG has helped me keep in touch with them. When I joined a college in Pune for my graduation, everybody around me suggested to switch to Idea network. I followed their suggestion and was very impressed with the results. The plans were pocket friendly and the network was excellent. There were hardly any instances of call drops. The internet speed was really fast and all my work went smoothly without any issues. Now, that I have left Pune and moved to a new city, I still use the network and the performance of Idea continues to be commendable. In fact, there have many significant improvements after its merger with Vodafone. My search for a good shirt or a pair of trousers have often ended in an Allen Solly store. I have always found what I was looking for at the most reasonable prices. There has never been an instance when I was disappointed with the quality of material. The customer service at the stores has always been warm and welcoming. When it comes to accumulating profits or increasing revenues, there are several companies that can be cited as examples. But Aditya Birla Group is one of the few organizations that go beyond money and contribute immensely to the society through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. ABG has contributed greatly to nation building since its inception. A strong feeling of nationalism, empathy and honesty have been the hallmark of the leaders of the conglomerate. The Birlas are a source of inspiration and reason for pride for every Indian. These are only a few reasons why ABG is big in my life.

How I overcame Challenges to Achieve My Ambitions in Life

Anything worth having in life does is never served on a silver platter. One invariably faces setbacks, disappointments and failures as he or sets out to do something big. But what really matters is how you overcome those challenges to achieve your goal. Celebrated motivational speaker, Robin Sharma had once said, “Obstacles are the cost of greatness.” I have come across several hurdles while pursuing my dreams but have never given up.  I have followed a simple two-step principle for overcoming challenges which I learnt from a close friend of my father, Group Captain Dipti Ranjan Mishra. Every time, I came across a difficult situation and feel dejected, I ask myself two questions. First, am I the only one in this whole world who is facing the same problem. And second, will crying over the situation help. The answers to both these questions have always been a ‘No’. This gives me enough motivation to buckle up and face the situation with resolve. The second part involves looking for solutions to the problem at hand. Sometimes, the answer is staring us in the face but we fail to see it. This is because we are so occupied by the problem that we do not recognize the solution even if it is pretty simple and straight forward. In most cases, a little brainstorming can do lot of wonders. However, there are cases where I have not been able to find answers even after putting the best efforts. That’s when I seek help. There are lot of people around me who are more experienced and intelligent than me. I have been lucky enough to have friends and family who always stand by me during thick and thin and help me every possible way. Their support has always helped me overcome challenges. This approach of facing problems has never failed me. Over the years I have come to realize that facing problems is inevitable but how we respond to them is entirely in our hands. A man with determination, courage and persistence will overcome every challenge he faces.  #ABGLP #ABGWOOME #XIMB #ABGWOOMESEASON2