“Business today is nothing short of a battle. And any battle-hardened veteran will tell you, courage is what it takes.”

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla can motivate every aspiring entrepreneur much in the same way his work has influenced plenty of lives. Aditya Birla Group has been quintessential in making an impact on people’s lives' across decades in different domains and geographies. Initiated by Mr. Ghanshyam Das Birla, this premier conglomerate is active in 14 industry sectors with a worth of US$44.3billion. Be it banking, fashion, cement or financial services, ABG has transformed lives everywhere. To imagine one's life without Aditya Birla Group’s significant presence in it seems like an unfeasible reality. From building houses and expressways to connect lives; to fresh wrap, a foil that every student can relate to, ABG has established its significance across every facet in our life.

Fashion is the sector I can most connect with. ABG has it all; from formals to casuals to and the middle ground. I remember the first time I wanted to buy formals; Van Heusen was my first stop solution. Transitioning from an occasional undergraduate formal stint wear to wearing them like a second skin at IIFT, it has been my only go to a store. The style and perfect fitting that Van Heusen offers are unique to the brand. Not only the attire but also the ambiance and customer service that it offers draws me back to the store. Forever 21 and Pantaloons are some of my favored brands for casuals. The collection, especially at Forever 21 is amazing enough to demand the attention of all. The contribution of ABG in the fashion sector has made me look smart, elegant and a corporate ready woman.

Challenges are what make life interesting, and overcoming them is what makes lives meaningful. Being a jovial & carefree personality since childhood, I can take challenges in stride and make the best of the opportunity presented to me. A major challenge that I have faced in life is to manage time effectively among academics, co-curricular and extra-curricular, especially during my school days. I had this gut feeling that I won’t be able to perform exceptionally well in academics if I diverted my focus towards other activities. Moreover, my school was also academic-oriented and thus, I never had the opportunity to overcome it. I did participate in extra-curricular activities held in school but at a very basic level. So, I made it a point to overcome this challenge in under graduation. During my graduation, I voluntarily became a member of Commerce society and 180 Degree Consulting Club. Challenging me, I along with the first-year team orchestrated the flagship event of Commerce Society – BizStreet. It was a great success and surprisingly, I even fared well in academics. Since I wanted to remove the fear of being unable to manage things effectively, I also took up the 180 Degree Consulting Club project while I was also preparing for the entrance exams. And, yes; I did it. I was not only able to plan my schedule well but also manage them successfully. That day I felt so elated and also ready to face the rigor of the MBA curriculum. It was then I realized that the saying- “We don’t grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges” is true.

Ria_Anand

ADITYA BIRLA GROUP- IMPACTING LIVES EVERY-WHERE |Ria Anand, IIFT