My rollercoaster ride of getting into IIMs
Back in 2017,When I was a sophomore in my engineering college, one day my father told me “today I sanctioned an educational loan to a boy (as my father is in banking sector)who will be pursuing MBA from IIM , do you know how much hard work and dedication is required to get into IIMs? CAT is a very tough exam to crack, It’s not everyone’s cup of tea!” I went straight to my room and googled everything about IIMs, CAT, etc. Though Earlier I heard about IIMs I wasn't aware of the prestige factor associated with it. I like to take challenges and that night itself I decided to choose the path of CAT.
I started my CAT preparation in full force from December 2017. Under the pressure of writing assignments and lab reports (typical B.tech life of a student !) somehow I managed a couple of hours into the preparation of CAT. Brushing up the concepts, I started giving mocks from April ‘ 2018. I was getting satisfactory marks in the first few mocks, life was picture perfect then. And then came the nightmare, the placement season. From July to November I sat for 6 MNC interviews and got rejected from all of them. The smooth flow of my CAT preparation was stalled. from getting unsatisfactory marks in the mocks to tolerating humiliation from friends, relatives for not getting a job till then, I was at the nadir of my career. But, I didn't stop believing myself and went on to chase my dream. At that moment, CAT was not about a gateway to my dreams, it became a platform to prove others wrong. 3 weeks before the D-Day I took a risk, opted out of the placement process. Those 3 weeks were the toughest and the most challenging period of my life. But, later I realized that I was able to push my limits for those 3 weeks. I gave 10 odd mocks on that period and scored enough to boost up my confidence. The D-Day went as per my expectations, So I started my interview preparations from 26th November onwards. After a few days, the result came, appeared for CAP interview and aced it through. As soon as I got the offer letter mail from IIM Ranchi I called up my father and told “Baba, 2 years back you told me a story of a boy who came to you searching for educational loan to fund his IIM fees. Now the time has come to sanction an educational loan to your son for pursuing MBA from IIM Ranchi. Will you sanction the loan for me? It was pin-drop silence for 30 odd seconds on the other side of the phone call. He burst into joy and it was clear from his voice. Later that day I came to know from my mother that It was my father's dream to get into IIMs back in the 80s. Tears of joy came rolling down from my eyes. It was a moment of accomplishment, a moment that will remain vivid in my memory throughout my life.
What impact ABG has on my life?
Aditya Birla group has been deeply ingrained in our day to day life. From the telecom sector to the retail sector the ABG group is omnipresent. I remember in my childhood I used to love “ what an idea sirji” series of ads. I literally used to wait for the Idea ad whenever I switched on the TV Later I realized that series of ads reflected the dark truth of India - our fascination with all forms of hierarchy: hierarchy based on economic status, hierarchy based on feudal authority, hierarchy based on caste, religion, gender, age, even family relationships — manifesting in rituals such as the veiling of women and falling at the feet of elders and seniors . Thanks to Idea network AND ABG group, we are told, the village will no longer be divided along caste lines. There will be no hierarchy, no domination, no violence. Though Indian villages still need a few years to achieve those aforementioned feats, Idea ads came up with a vital social message and food for thought. I took lessons from those ads and applied in my life. It empowered me to think outside the box, it compelled me to follow and analyze India’s socio-cultural issues very closely.
Coming to the retail sector, I can’t think of buying garments from retail stores other than Pantaloons. Be it casual or Durga puja special shopping, pantaloons is the one-stop solution. Pantaloons is also while wearing a suit related to my CAT journey. I bought a suit from VAN Heusen for CAP interview process. I didn’t feel an iota of uncomfortableness while wearing a suit for the 1st time in my life, in fact, it was so comfortable and elegant, it boosted up my confidence during the CAP interview process.
Word will never be enough to describe the contribution of the ABG group in the telecom sector. I have been using IDEA for the last 7 years. Back in my high school days, IDEA used to give 2G internet services at a very affordable price, which helped to access the internet and that in turn helped me to learn much more about any topic related to academic curriculum thanks to internet browsing. From hearing the news of my grandma’s death to giving the news of my selection in IIMs to my family members, the IDEA network has seen it all. ABG group has firmly entrenched in every joy, every sorrow of my life. The values of the Aditya Birla group have helped me to be a better individual.
