Aditya Birla Group’s impact is all pervasive in my life thereby reducing the impact of it seems to be potentially impossible. The impact can be gauged from my regular routine interactions with Aditya Birla Group’s products. My interactions start right from the Hindalco Freshwrap foil that is used to wrap the
rotis to the structures (made up by Ultratech Cement) that I stay in.
Further, I have been a seismophobic child, having an irrational fear of earthquakes and had sleepless nights during my childhood because of this fear. However, my dad happened to take me a civil engineer of our who soothed my nerves down and somehow even in childhood I was assured that I am earthquake protected since he used the Ultratech Cement. The Engineer’s choice (Ultratech Cement) has ensured that the home that I am staying in is sturdy with ‘Mazbooti Guaranteed’. The seismophobia has somehow deteriorated since then.
Also, the clothing brands of Aditya Birla Group are irreplaceable in my life owing to the width and the depth of the clothing range. My B-School life would have been difficult without the formals, suits and blazers of Louis Phillipe, Allen Solly, Peter England and Van Heusen. Also, Grasim is unenviable position with its brands like Linen club. Linen Club has always been my go-to place for ethnic wear and linen shirts. So, Aditya Birla Group literally takes care of the basic necessities of my life of roti, kapda
aur
makaan.
Besides, I use Vodafone Idea Ltd for day to day calls and internet usage and a good component of my salaries is still managed by Aditya Birla Sunlife Mutual Fund. Therefore, my interactions with Aditya Birla Group do not stop at the basic necessities of life. When I extrapolate this to the people of India, Aditya Birla Group has facilitated and served people in education, financial services and telecom. The sheer value created by Aditya Birla Group to the lives of people in India is astounding. Add to this, the carbon black, aluminium, textiles, rayons, iron ore lumps and fine, copper products, phosphoric acid and the other industrial products produced and manufactured by Aditya Birla Group. The magnitude of impact Aditya Birla can be assessed from the fact that it employs 120,000 + employees.
As I have graduated from same alma maters (HR College of Commerce and Economics; Institute of Chartered Accountant of India) as that Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla did, the values that we share have similar roots. During his lecture in HR College, he reinforced the values on which ABG is based upon like Integrity, Passion, Speed, Seemlessness and Commitment. This lecture persuaded on using reinforced the importance of these values in order to make a difference in life.
I was faced with a very challenging assignment wherein my manager was on a leave and I had to directly deal with the partner and the client. Also, the turnaround time of the deliverable was just two days. So, in effect I had to act both the manager as well as the executor on the assignment. I took up the responsibility as an opportunity as I was passionate about the work. I co-ordinated with the client seamlessly and singlehandedly asking for all the relevant data. I executed the deliverable burning the midnight oil and got the work reviewed from the partner. At the end, we were able to submit the deliverable to the client on time. The client appreciated our work and my reporting was delighted. Looking at my speed and commitment, I was given the opportunity of working on one of the biggest and most prestigious clients. Therefore, I overcame all odds to deliver a top-class advice to the client with minimum possible time with the values and commitment.
Next time whenever I come across Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla I would thank him for the conglomerate that he has developed and the values he inculcated and would exclaim – What an Idea! Sirji!