Aditya Birla Group- A US$44.3 billion company was founded in India, in 1857 by Mr. Seth Shiv Narayan Birla. The group first started its commencement of Business in the cotton industry in Rajasthan and now they have grown into the league of Fortune 500! They have employed around 1,20,000 employees from over 42 nationalities. ABG is one of the first names that comes to my mind when I think of Indian Conglomerates. Right from infrastructure, banking, construction, telecom, fashion, retail and the list goes on, ABG has got almost all sectors covered. The buildings I often visit are made using Ultra Tech cement, the formal clothes I wear as an MBA student are from Allen Solly/Van Heusen, the clothes I casually wear from Pantaloons, the sim card I use- Vodafone which gets me access to internet and connectivity, and the Mutual funds that my family has invested into is in ABG as well! Also, there are so many chemicals, fertilizers, metals, mines, carbon and lots more from ABG which we all indirectly use in our lives. I, along with my fellow Indians, can truly claim to be the most loyal and avid users of all the products/services ABG has to provide!
I have always grown up believing in the concept of branding and marketing and I have always considered the 5
th P of marketing to be Passion. ABG stands with the same value including Integrity, Commitment, Seamlessness, and Speed and thus this brand feels a lot more personal than just commercial to me. Working in a space with your peers and environment, believing in the same attributes as yours is often underrated, yet the most important aspect for synergy and happiness.
One of the most memorable struggle I have faced in my life was right after 12
th std. My dad being in the finance sector wanted me to become a CA. As I wasn’t clear about what I really liked till then, I was influenced into listening to his views and I took my admission in IPCC. Just a week after the course started, my guts started screaming out to me that this isn’t for me! I used to cry and fight with my own feelings and tried to love the curriculum every day. The struggle came down to my Passion vs my Values (as a child to fulfill my Dad’s wishes). I struggled for a year to convince my dad that I wanted to go ahead in marketing and post that he had not spoken to me for almost 6 months! But I didn’t want to give up on my passion. I started working in the marketing sector & also decided to do my MBA in marketing as I started prepping up for all the entrance exams and finally managed to get into SDA Bocconi Asia Center. Now, being a part of this Prestigious college and my determination and passion to get in here, makes my father really proud and satisfied. Now my only goal is to achieve success and make an impact in this world like ABG on similar grounds (although, maybe not on the same scale as ABG figuratively). :D