“Father, was it really necessary to wake up at four in the morning?”
I have always hated waking up so early. I hate it with a passion that burns with the fire of a thousand suns. Some people are just not morning people, and my father has always failed to understand this concept.
“Well, you wanted an answer to your question”, my father answered while sporting a sly smile.
“Which question?”
“How do I achieve big?”
I never thought he would remember. About two weeks ago, I asked him this question when I had made up my mind to pursue MBA from International Management Institute, Delhi. He had just returned from his business trip and was quite elated about my admission. That night, I had asked him this question and he had promised me with an answer. I was brought back to the present when my father halted the car suddenly.
“We have arrived. Now, we will walk.”
My father and I have always been an admirer of the Vivekananda Setu. One can see the magnificent Dakshineswar Temple and the mighty River Ganga by walking across the bridge. As we started walking, my father began with his answer.
“Son, today I am going to tell you a story about an organization which changed the lives of millions of people. It started in 1857 and currently it is operating in 35 countries with more than 120000 employees worldwide. Its name is Aditya Birla Group.”
“I have heard about them. They had a revenue of approximately US$44.3 billion in the year 2018.”
“My dear son, those are just figures. What do you think separates them from others?”
“I don’t know’
“Their vision to be big in your and everyone else’s lives. They started with cotton and expanded in sectors such as textiles and fibres, aluminium, cement and chemicals by the 20th century. They acquired UltraTech cement from L&T in 2004. After purchasing Columbian Chemicals Co, the Group is now the largest manufacturer of Carbon Black worldwide. It is also the world’s largest producer of Viscose Staple Fibre.”
Suddenly, my father started tugging on my shirt.
“Remember this shirt which you bought from Louis Philippe. The group’s firm Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd sells in-house brands such as Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Van Heusen and Peter England. Aditya Birla Group’s Idea Cellular also acquired Vodafone to form the country’s largest telecom operator. Despite their repeated success, Aditya Birla Group never stopped progressing. For them, success is never a destination, but it’s a journey. Now, do you have your answer?”
Now it was clear to me. Aditya Birla Group is the quintessence of achieving big. One cannot achieve big if he/she is already satisfied with what he/she has done.
“Let’s go now. I am hungry and your mother must be worried by now.”
The sun had started to rise and was illuminating the mighty Ganges in front of me. My father’s hand was on my shoulder and his words were edged in my mind.