‘Do I have it in me?’ A question that I keep asking myself whenever I face a challenge in life. Growing up in an army environment, I had always dreamed of joining the armed forces. I took admission in one of the best schools in the country - Rashtriya Military School - to train for the Army, staying away from my family in a hostel at the age of ten. Following the packed schedule starting from 5 o’ clock in the morning to 11 o’ clock in the evening, which included activities that moulded me into a perfect candidate for the defence forces of the country, I kept chasing my dream. ‘Do I have it in me?’ Yes, I used to say. Discipline, perseverance and a never-give-up attitude helped me sail smoothly through those years. However, this dream was shattered when I was termed medically unfit because of flat feet.

I found myself standing at crossroads for the first time in my life. It took me a while, but I moved on to the next big stage in my life and started preparation for a seat in the top engineering colleges of the country. I was already lagging in terms of the preparation given the competition for these seats, I often found myself under pressure and in self-doubt. I used to ask myself – ‘Do I have it in me?’ And the answer would sometimes be, ‘No.’ However, one thing that I had learnt from growing up in the army cantonment was that you don’t give up. Twenty four hours a day were not enough, but I knew there is no alternative to hard work, so I gave it everything I had. Keeping track of every hour and constantly checking my growth, I kept putting in effort and I finally succeeded in getting admission to Vellore Institute of Technology! Following that I got an on-campus placement at Ericsson, and after working there as a consultant for 3 years, I am now here at NMIMS, Mumbai. A journey full of highs and lows, but full of growth. And I am now highly enthusiastic about conquering newer milestones in the future!

‘Why Aditya Birla Group is big in your life’

From the moment I dress up to step out for a drive to the majestic Sea Link and FaceTime with my family standing next to the Ocean, Aditya Birla Group has contributed in every activity to make it a BIG day for me. Recently when I went out to shop, I remember visiting Peter England, Allen Solly, Pantaloons, Louis Philippe and it struck me that it is ABG that makes this possible, providing variety with quality, running the business on values, keeping people in the centre and building a sustainable world around them. From raising awareness and increasing the use of renewable resources wherever possible to promoting R&D for efficient technologies and supporting the adoption of low carbon solutions, ABG has taken a long-term view towards working for the planet.

Right from independence, ABG has always strived to work for India. From attending famous round-table conferences to becoming the largest aluminium manufacturer in the world, ABG has touched every aspect of my life. Fulfilling copper requirements used in trains, which I used as a child while travelling to the hostel to go study in Military School, that have carried me for long distances as well kept me safe. The foil wrap that I used to preserve my food in my lunchbox also comes from ABG. Being the second-largest player in the telecom market through Vodafone-Idea, it has enabled people to share conversations with people in any part of India. It feels as though distances don’t matter anymore. A simple video call would suffice. ABG’s imprint in my life is immense and I am grateful for their service to me and our nation. #BigInLife

#NMIMSMumbai #ABGLPWooMe

akuntal1

Fall. Run. Fly! - Avdhesh Kuntal, NMIMS, Mumbai