Recently I purchased a formal suit from one of the outlets of Van Heusen. I had visited several other brand outlets before that; I couldn’t find any fit. I got the right product with the proper fitting and at the right price. Little did I knew then that Van Heusen is an ABG brand. I then wondered what other ABG products and services I have been using. I realized that from the aluminum foil I use to pack my lunch to the mutual fund I have invested in, all have the same thing in common, the Aditya Birla Group.
They are one of the oldest conglomerates of India. They started with cotton trading operations in Pilani, Rajasthan when our first war of Independence was being fought. Slowly and steadily, they expanded into different sectors and became one of the largest enterprises of India. With their hard work and dedication, they are one of the few Indian conglomerates to be in the league of Fortune 500 companies. As their tagline says, ‘Taking India to the World’, they are carrying the brand of India to the world by having their operations in more than 40 countries worldwide and earning a large share of their revenue from these countries.
I have been touched with their CSR initiatives. Because of this, one of my friends was able to complete post-graduation from a foreign university. The group has carried out welfare activities in 5000 villages, and they have been able to touch nearly 7.5 million people with their efforts.
They genuinely are an Indian company and are the backbone of our economy. Without the support of such an enterprise, our economy is bound to collapse. I aspire to be the part of this 162-year legacy they have created.
How did I overcome Challenges
The biggest challenge I faced is to decide what career I want to be in because like everybody, I was also part of the herd that was doing engineering. When I started working, I realized that my area of interest is finance. But I didn’t know much about it. I didn’t even know where to start. I did some research and finally decided to opt for an MBA to build a career in finance. Meanwhile, I was also trying to get finance-related jobs. I gave a lot of bank exams for probationary officers and was rejected many times. I didn’t give up and was successful in getting a finance-related job in banking sector (specifically loan officer), but my ultimate aim was to do an MBA in finance. I had a lot of difficulties adjusting to that sector as I was a completely different background. But gradually I learned the tricks of the trade, and during the last few months, the whole branch was completely dependent on me for any loan-related work. The exposure of working at a bank gave me some insight into finance and increased my curiosity for the subject. Meanwhile, I gave my CAT exam. I was hoping to get calls from some good institutes, but it did not happen. I got a few calls from some average institutes and cleared them all. I was not satisfied, and my patience was running out as I did not want to wait another year. Finally, I got selected to IIM Nagpur, and now I am trying to build a future for me in my area of interest. It's never late to pursue your interest.