Part A: Aditya Birla Group has been a major contributor towards building my self confidence. I'm talking about a particular brand of ABG which is Van Heusen. Since my childhood, I've always had a inferiority complex about the way I carry myself. I always thought that others are better than me in the way they carry themselves. The incident I'm going to share about happened in 2016. That was the year that my elder sister got married. I, along with my family were out in a mall (DLF Mall of India, Noida) for the wedding shopping and we decided to enter a Van Heusen showroom. My mother was adamant to buy me a suit for the wedding but I was of the thought that suits do not look well on me. When we entered the showroom a salesman welcomed us with a big smile and was very friendly. After some reluctance, I started trying on some shirts as well as suits. While trying them on, I still was having that inferiority complex at the back of my mind. But, the salesman there, was really motivating me. He was constantly telling me that I was looking good in those suits and that they fit me really well. I don't know how, but that day, that inferiority complex started fading and I actually started becoming much more confident.

This personal experience of mine made me realize that this was because of ABG, whether it was the apparel at the showroom or the salesperson present there. ABG's logo, a rising Sun acted as a metaphor for me as my rising confidence.

Part B: People who work at ABG make an impact, irrespective of the challenges they face. The challenge I overcame is a very recent one. Also, this is a very personal incident.

I have always been an average student throughout my life. The first time I attempted CAT was in 2018 which was the final year of my graduation. As expected, I was not able to get a very good percentile. After receiving this setback, I was not very sure of reattempting CAT. But, my family motivated me enough to get going for the second time. While preparing for the second time, the most unimaginable and tragic thing happened as I lost one of the closest family member I had. This incident led me into depression.

For about 3 months, I was not at all able to concentrate on my entrance examinations. Recovering slowly and steadily, I started 'touching' my books again. It was because of the motivation that I got from my friends and my family that I started working hard for the entrance exams.

As luck would have it, I got good results this time and was able to secure admission in one of the top B-schools of the country.

I consider this as one of the biggest challenge that I overcame.

Just like the rising sun in ABG's logo, I rose to the occasion and was able to do good.

We fall only so that we can learn how to pick ourselves up again. Everyone faces hardships in life, but only those who do not give up and show a fighting spirit are able to succeed.

Ankur Sharma

How ABG affected me-IMT Ghaziabad