How ABG Is Big In My Life - Ankita Jaiswal, IIFT

The first time when I had to go out and buy formals for my campus placements in graduation, I did a deep research on which brand to go for and what would be the best option for me. Surprisingly, I discovered that brands like Louis Philippe, Peter England, Van Heusen and Allen Solly who I thought were International brands are all a part of ABFRL! Being someone who enjoys shopping to my core, a considerable amount my wardrobe is filled with clothes from Forever21, as they are fashionable and affordable at the same time and they make me feel like I am still 21!

So just like ABG group says, ‘Big is Microscopic’, I believe that ABG has played a big part in all these microscopic things in my life, which has definitely made me a better, more empathetic and a happier person.

How I overcame challenges to achieve my ambitions in life

There were times in my life when the weight was too much for me to bear. Now, I could talk about the challenges I faced at work or at my school. But in reality, the biggest challenge which I had to overcome was in my personal life. Growing up with a single parent was hard. I was 10 years old, with a younger brother to look after, an elder sister who was angry at life and a mother who just lost her husband. There were times when I had to fight for simply surviving through the day.

Since I was young, I wanted to do something ‘big’ in my life. Unaware of exactly what that ‘big’ was, I simply strived for excellence. Being a girl child in a rural area made me resilient and I learned to fight my own battles. I was the first girl in my hometown who went out of town for higher studies and since then I have had the opportunity to live in all major cities in India. As difficult as it was, all three of us are now on our own paths. Our mother incubated very strong values in us and we drew strength from each other, growing together.  

I have completed my Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering, gained corporate exposure with a company like Capgemini India Pvt. Ltd, cleared one of the most prestigious exams like IIFT and secured admission in it. I would say all these setbacks in my life simply made me stronger. I carried myself with Integrity with a commitment to never settle. Now, I am looking forward for opportunities in the form of challenges to overcome them and do even better in life.