- Why is Aditya Birla Group a big part of my life?
Aditya Birla Group has always had its presence in my life one way or another. The fact that almost all of the Indian population at some point, has drawn livelihood or consumed its product and services bears testimony to its crucial role in nation building post-independence.
The Group is very dear to me and my family especially because it has provided livelihood to us for the past decade. We’ve been into agribusiness for quite some time as a wholesaler/distributor of fertilizers, seeds and pesticides at district level. Such is the brand recognition of Shaktiman (A brand of Indo Gulf fertilizers under Grasim Industries) that my father swells with pride upon claiming ourselves as the biggest distributor of Grasim products in the district. He often defines it as a game-changing milestone in his business career when he was able to secure the dealership of Grasim Industries and eventually becoming its major distributor. Farmers and small retailers have immense faith in Shaktiman products which is why they are the first ones which go out of stock. In the era of aggressive pricing coupled with rising global temperature, Grasim products face no problems while being sold at premium price points with a hefty margin to show for its leadership in Fertilizers industry. Associating our business with Aditya Birla Group has paid dividends by allowing us to live a comfortable life with a sustained income. It is indeed a big part of our family.
The Group’s presence in other aspects of my life might be eclipsed by its ever present fertilizers and pesticides business but it’s still there. Be it Vodafone Idea Cellular network, Pantaloons, Aditya Birla Financial services or Ultratech Cement; Aditya Birla Group manages to embrace every nook and corner of my life. The phone calls I make, the infrastructure we use, the clothes that I wear, the Vehicles that I drive all of them have a hint of Group’s presence in some sort or another. It is a matter of pride to associate myself with the Group which has laid the foundation of Indian economic growth from as early as 1857 along with TATA and RIL. At present, the presence of Aditya Birla group in our respective lives is as big as it can get with no signs of decline on the horizon.
- How did I overcome challenges to achieve my ambitions in life so far?
I will quote two such incidents from the past which will help demonstrate my perseverance and problem solving skills in the face of despair and unsurmountable setbacks.
- From the early days of my under graduation I developed keen interest in Magazine publication, editing and designing. From volunteering in first year, being a correspondent in the second year to eventually being appointed as the Editor in third year, I oversaw publications of 3 such issues under my guidance. Of all the three positions, being an Editor was the most challenging one and rightfully so. As an Editor I had to take care of, scheduling, recruitment from junior batches, seeking official permissions, pitching my proposal to the department head, managing a team of 15 students, procurement of sponsorships, advertisement, designing, placing orders, delivery, distribution, arrange interviews with Alumni, Industry professionals and various department heads, and many more responsibilities that come along. We faced severe cash crunch in the beginning because we were having trouble communicating our ideas to the potential sponsors. Eventually, I came up with a solution which involved reallocating my team to rather unconventional sponsors with a pitch that ensured convenience for both the parties. By no means our magazine ‘Shristi’ was a culmination of my individual brainstorming, but I always treated it as my child and strove to perfect it till we ran out of funds.
- In 2016 I had managed to ‘bell the CAT’ and I was offered a seat at IIM Kashipur. Because of my reckless eating habits my health deteriorated once I got myself into the program. Eventually, I was diagnosed with a gall-bladder stone which left me with no option but to give up my chance at post-graduation from such a reputed institute and seek medical treatment with constant care. I underwent surgery which forced me to stay at home and seek constant help. The reality came crashing down on me and things got worse. I went into severe depression and I was unable to find any source of motivation in life. I felt useless while I was at home. After having a fruitful discussion with one of my uncles I decided to write CAT once again in 2018 with whatever motivation I had left in me to pursue a career in Management. 7 Months later I got the big news and thanked god for helping me keep it all together as I ‘belled the CAT’ once again.
There have been other incidents of hardships and heartbreaks in my life but none came as close to these two in leaving an everlasting impact. Through all of this though, one thing has remained constant, the strength that I draw from the almighty which reinforces my will to never give up.
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