I still remember that day, as if it had happened just yesterday! The nerve wracking preparation that went in, the anxiousness that was grappling me and the stage fright to top it all. I was in class 10th when I had been selected to represent my school for the Inter-school Declamation that was supposed to happen at the Pinegrove School, Subathu, Himachal Pradesh. This competition was extremely important for me and my school as we'd been consistently winning the 'best title' award for several years now. For about 3 weeks, we practiced intensely to master the act. For the competition, we had to prepare 3 topics by heart and present it well on the podium. Hence, I made sure to pen down each topic at least twice to thoroughly memorize it. For practice, I spoke almost everywhere and anywhere. I used to articulate my speech in the washroom while bathing (although our neighbors were completely annoyed because of it), in front of the mirror, in front of my pet dog who very innocuously stared at me, almost half worried, as I frantically moved up and down busy practicing the speech. Before the D-Day, I needed something clean and formal to wear. Hence, I visited the 'Allen Solly' showroom with my mother where I got the perfect outfit for myself. A day before the final showdown, I practiced in the morning assembly in front of the entire school and was extremely pleased while hearing the applause and the compliments I got from my friends and teachers.
The next day, I woke up, half nervous half excited, donned my perfectly ironed formal suit, made a little prayer, had my breakfast and set off to travel to Subathu. There, I was the first speaker who had to come up and speak. As I stepped up and saw a crowd full of strangers, I panicked and completely forgot what I had to speak. For my part, I spoke a few words that lacked the flow and substance, thereby, completely flunking my performance. As I travelled back that day, I couldn't understand what had happened. All I know was that my fear of public speaking had only increased exponentially.
Later that week, the new buzz ad was around. It was the 'Idea' ad that had gained all its viewership with the tagline “What an idea sir ji!” When Abhishek Bachchan in that ad talked about overcoming challenges and hardships through simple yet unique ideas, I realized how I could get away with the stage fright with one simple idea. That idea was to participate even more and keep going, no matter how many competitions I fail and how challenging it gets. It was this ‘Idea’ that struck the chord with me and made me fall in love with the dais! Thus began the quest of me participating in various debates, declamations, Model United Nations Conferences, etc. I began collecting all the formal wear I needed to show up smart and in style. For that, I frequently visited ‘Pantaloons’, ‘Van Huesen’, ‘Allen Solly’ etc. Soon, I was able to win a few and even got the opportunity to chair a few of these competitions.
Aditya Birla Group is therefore not just any other brand for me. It is the one that created maximum value for me in terms of shaping up my personality and overcoming my fears. It is a brand that connects with most of us and is essential in shaping our lives in some way or the other. I’ll forever be grateful to ABG for driving my ideas into outputs and making me the person that I am today.