Ever since my childhood, I was extremely fond of clothes. Being born and brought up in a tier II city like Lucknow and belonging to a middle class family, our one point solution for any apparel requirement was the very famous “Pantaloons” store. It still makes me feel nostalgic whenever I visit the store. It has almost become an emotion to me in the past years as it is the major reason behind the birth of the Fashionista in me.

After joining a fashion college like NIFT, Mumbai, It was in November 2015, I got my first opportunity to get a chance to live my childhood memory in real when the Aditya Birla Group came to my college to recruit students to do their graduation project. I also got selected in the initial rounds but unfortunately, couldn’t make through the final selections. From that day till today, there was always an unfulfilled desire in me to be a part of the brand that made a simple girl like me to feel like a diva and develop the self confidence in myself.

ABFRL brings together the learning and businesses of two renowned Indian fashion icons, Madura Fashion & Lifestyle and Pantaloons creating a synergistic core that will act as the nucleus of the future fashion businesses of the Aditya Birla Group.

Another big reason behind the wish to work with ABGL was the evolution of LIVA-The Fluid Fashion which is a very big initiative towards sustainable fashion. LIVA is man-made from natural fibers which are produced from wood pulp, a natural renewable resource. The pulp used is from trees which are specifically grown for this purpose i.e. more new trees are planted than trees are cut. It gives the earth a much-needed green cover, saves 6-7 times more land in comparison to cotton, and saves 3-4 times more water than usual.

Last but an important reason to join ABGL is its CSR policies, as there was always been a side of mine who is passionate about contributing to the welfare of the society. Their association with WHO, Australia India Council, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, CII, European Union (EU), Global Compact Network, International Rotary Club, National Skills Development Council, FICCI, NABARD, NACO, CARE, IGNOU, Aide et Action, SEWA, BAIF, MYRADA, Basix, CARD, Art of Living Foundation, Smile Foundation, Maya Foundation, Childline India Foundation and local NGOs has always been the biggest motivation for me to be a part of their team.

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The vision of my life is based on the saying,“ We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give”. The ultimate goal of my life is to run an NGO working for the issue of Child Sexual Abuse, and for that the first and foremost pre requisite is to develop my own personality and will power.

To build this self – belief and confidence in myself, the paramount mantra of my life is this powerful quote of the world’s most enduring iconic figure, Marilyn Monroe; “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” She herself was a victim of Child Sexual abuse but she believed in herself and emerged as an inspiration for people.

For being able to empower the victims in future, my biggest challenge was to develop a leadership personality in myself. My first job had been a major contributor to develop the same in me. It was a great opportunity for me as the brand “Glamour” was in its developing stage which gave me an advantage of working closely with senior level managers and potentially gaining a firsthand view of many aspects of running a business from a leader’s perspective.

I had represented the brand at the 65^th CMAI National Garment Fair as in charge of product development team. As a result, we attracted around 500 retailers and buyers at the stall getting sample orders of around 45 Lakhs and further ended up getting associated with 125 retailers as their permanent clients. This was one of my biggest achievements in life which gave me a morale boost and made me believe in myself.

I aspire to grow my career in the field of management which will allow me to be more creative, take on more responsibility and improve my self-esteem. It will also allow me to increase my earnings rapidly which will further help me to fulfill the monetary requirements of my social service. Currently I’ve been volunteering for two organizations called “Chal Rang De” and “The Robin Hood Army” which has become possible only by building my self-confidence and my life experiences.

Ananya Verma

The Unfulfilled Desire #IIM Trichy