A. Why Aditya Birla Group is big in everyone’s life?
Being from the eastern region of India, the name, rather the surname ‘Birla’ has been a much familiar one ever since my childhood. There was this eponymous ‘Birla Planetarium’ that I was desperate to visit as a child, and then the aspiring engineer of her teens was dreaming to make it to the premier engineering institutes owned by the Birlas, BITS Pilani and BIT Mesra to name a few. Alas!!! not all dreams come true.
Fast forward to the year 2019, this naive teenager who now poses as an informed adult knows that the third largest Indian conglomerate is not only limited to educational institutions but has an endless repertoire of brands in its kitty. From my favorite shopping destination Pantaloons to the aluminium foil my mother uses, this group owns them both.
Who wouldn’t know the brands Louis Philippe, Peter England, Allen Solly, Van Heusen? But, what most people don’t know is how all of them are a part of ABG’s premium lifestyle division, Madura Fashion & Lifestyle. Not just fashion, this US 44.3 billion corporation, has its presence in 13 other sectors, ranging from banking to chemicals.
No doubt the Aditya Birla Group is a renowned name in the world of business across the globe, but its contribution to the nation goes beyond its contribution to the GDP. The Birla’s were prominent figures during India’s freedom struggle and are committed to making a difference in the lives of the needy till date. Presently the ABG is active in 5,000 villages and is impacting 7.5 million lives under the aegis of Mrs. Rajashree Birla. They have targeted healthcare, education, sustainable livelihood programmes, infrastructure, and model villages and undertaken numerous activities to bring significant changes to these frontiers.
Thus, the Aditya Birla Group has been a true champion of its fundamental values of integrity, commitment, passion, seamlessness and speed and has been the proud flag bearer of India’s rich heritage.
B: Overcoming challenges
Born into a lower middle-class income household with limited earning and meager means, hardships were a constant companion for most parts of my life. A family of five crammed in a single room of a mud house and a haughty father sum up my childhood. Not to forget the nightmare monsoon season was for me back then. As it rained cats and dogs outside, we had our very own swimming pool inside the room. My parents crouched in one corner ensured that their children could get some sleep as they endured sleepless nights.
As much as I would like to go on about my struggles, it would be unfair to deny the sacrifices my parents made to ensure that we get the best possible education to turn around our lives. My father, the sole bread earner in the family of seven(including my grandparents), ensured that we got into the best possible school in the town. Often clad in torn shoes and cheapest clothes, he ensured that our education did not suffer for want of money. My mother supported him and us in all other ways possible. That meant getting up at 4 a.m. in all seasons to prepare our tiffin boxes. The fact that we did not have a gas stove till 2007 bears testimony to the fact that it wasn’t an easy chore.
While my parents toiled for our education, I tried making the most of the opportunity they had given by doing good at academics. Being the eldest of three siblings, it was my responsibility to be the role model the younger ones followed. So, I ensured that I made the most of the education provided to me and here I am today, studying at one of the premier MBA institutes across the country and trying to make my parents proud.
I know the debt that I owe can never be repaid, but at least now I would be able to shoulder some responsibility that my parents have been carrying all these years. Also, it’s high time that the slightly upgraded mud house be replaced with my mother’s dream house.