Part A:
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Aditya Birla Group an Indian multinational conglomerate founded by Seth Shiv Narayan Birla 162 years ago in 1857 expanding horizontally and vertically ever since now operates in 35 countries cracking pragmatic business deals simultaneously in 14 different industries and sporting around 50 brands acquiring top ranks in each of them while standing tall and unbeatable in the Cement Industry of India. ABG has been climbing the ladder of success pushing away hurdles with more than their might and intelligence clearing the path of the ones following the steps leading out for them. The company here is not walking alone, it has taken in its own hands the welfare of their fellow beings providing the most satisfactory services to its customers, the best working conditions for employees, society reforming and quality concerned health, educational, infrastructural social services to its citizens and to the residents of underprivileged groups in other parts of the world.
The company has been a part of our personal lives knowingly or unknowingly since our existence. It has provided us with products as basic as wrapping papers for our lunch boxes to the raw materials of our loving homes; our favorite clothes, medicines for curing health issues, fertilizers for the mouth-watering fruits, financial services for money management, telecom services to keep in touch with our loved ones and more. Not only has it provided us with essential products but has built hospitals, museums, academies and given away scholarships, work, and meals for deprived and trained the life enthusiasts.
Personally, my first ever sim card, my first formal set for an internship and my luxurious lifestyle is the result of the company's hard work. Now when I think upon it closely there are uncompromisingly numerous products in our household that we use on a regular basis produced by the group. Their products have blended remarkably in our lives rendering us incapable of differentiation between the products and our habits. Beyond that, India is a developing country and is lacking behind and slowly heightening its feat in many aspects and ABG has actively contributed in bringing forth the best in our people and circumstances and being informed about such applause-worthy donations to the underprivileged brings me pure joy. I have read it in a book and am certain of its true nature, 'We find joy in little moments and when we add them up it is more than the sum of its parts'. This is Aditya Birla Group for us, Aristotle's theory, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Part B:
“Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”
As a child, not many know ambition, a liking for a toy in the store is enough to stir the need in parents' heart to buy them a remote-controlled car. Differently, I had a taste for stationary, comic books, crayons and all the shy articles but never asked for them, didn't know how to. As I grew up I started finding ways to save money and have the pleasure of these little joyful belongings in my life. Slowly developing an interest for new skill photography, I found myself craving hugely for news about the political and financial conditions of the country and beyond. It was my dad who unknowingly pulled me closer to this world of hustle. At the same time, in school being the best speaker for my standard class, I stayed quiet during recess and actively heated during debates and class discussions. It was a combination different from the rest but I enjoyed it thoroughly. I started making friends who would take me in their teams. They would nudge me to speak whenever the teacher burdened them with questions. During one of these days facing the peer pressure from my group in different areas of life I realised speaking up is the best way out of the unwanted pressure. Speaking up is never easy, comes with a price but now no pressure was not eating me anymore. I wasn't stressed all the time about how to act the next moment. I just knew I had to speak. During our teenage years, we all face the problem of drifting away from our parents because of the habits we pick from our groups in school. I was no different in this one. I kept quite a few years in the hope of silencing down their concern for me. It wasn't the best solution. The solution was to be honest and to do that in front of the family was difficult. Family is the whole world minus true friends. For every action, they are the reaction. And it was important now to express myself to gain the trust I lost once and eventually survived through school life and headed to college. College is a different world, one with its own atrocities. A little chaotic to be honest. I stood there not sure if I'd survive. But I knew I wanted to do it like a king, bruised from the battle yet standing strong for another. Knowing I had to move ahead and grab the best out of it, I took a leap into college life. Studying for graduation was no pressure, the societies I was a part of were a source of more knowledge and pleasure. Not snatching away from the truth, it's difficult to find supporters in a foundation so competitive. The few I had were taken away and led to situations dirty enough to sprout anxiety in me. By the end of the year, the seed was already a plant watered by the pressure of the future endeavours.
I always knew I had to go for an MBA. That was my sole aim for as far as I can remember, the perfect choice for my talents and capabilities. I saw, not my interest, not my capability nor my faith in the subject falter but my persistence. All the previous exams I took didn't require much of anything but a little hard work and sincerity. And let's face it, graduation spoilt us all. After which entrances got tricky. In those moments when hopelessness would take hold and my anxiety wouldn't leave me I held on to my interest, my interest in the subjects I was studying. I held on to my dreams I had daydreamed for years on end. I studied hard, losing hope first then getting it right back, springing on my feet again after a period of slumping. And so success opened its doors for me and I entered there without losing a second on double thought. After reaching the desired stage I today look up to my staircase, the hurdles that lay in there and the steps and tricks I used to defeat them. One of the major lessons of them was 'Persistence'. With persistence, even the stones give way to waters, with persistence young birds learn to fly, with persistence lion gets its meal and with persistence, kids get their toys.
“Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”
- Bill Bradley