“Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.”
It is said that if you aim for the sky you would land up reaching the roof. Most people including me would agree to this. Right from our childhood we are taught to study well, score well and become toppers. My trajectory is no different. At the age of seventeen, I was pretty clear whether to pursue my career as a Doctor or an Engineer. But there was no clarity of what that would end up in.
I wanted to become a Doctor and went on to clear the All India Pre-Medical Test but since my rank was in the late two thousands, I had to settle for a dental seat at GDC, Chennai. Nevertheless, I was happy thinking of the white coat, the badge, the Dr prefix and of course the Stethoscope. I thought my life was all sorted. But things changed when I graduated as a Dentist. I wasn't prepared to face the world . I was still a vulnerable student .
I further wanted to prepare for post-graduation and devoted a year and a half for doing so. Nothing significant came up. I was disheartened. At the same time, there was a transition in my personal life too. I got engaged, married and was blessed with an angel.
Things became different, a lot of responsibilities came up. I was not able to manage. But one thing I knew for sure that I would achieve something big in my life. I struggled badly but eventually learned to cope. Then came 2014 and the oblivion seemed to be over. I joined post-graduation. I was sure I would do it but a mother being a post-graduate sounded difficult. I promised myself that I would come out flying. My post-graduation days were difficult. I couldn't adhere well to the work-life balance concept. Things were messy. But my willpower, my family and my daughter Sarah kept me going. I learnt never to give up.
Then I practised for a year at the clinic. In the mean time I realised that there was a lot to clinical practice and I represented only a fraction of the big pie. There was financial management, interdisciplinary alignment, logistics, communication and of course business.
It was then that I decided to pursue an MBA. If the beginning of my journey seemed a lullaby ride, the destination would seem farfetched. A medical graduate studying for MBA!! People thought I had gone crazy. I moved to my parent's place. I started preparing. Sarah also had to shift with me. I would often tell her that my mock tests didn't go well and she would respond "Its ok, you will do it."Her belief in me struck the right chord. It was the same confidence that my mother had in me each time I appeared for an exam. These two angels made things easy for me. Solving arithmetic was difficult but their confidence gave me mental strength. I finally cracked a decent B-school. With all struggles and disappointments, one thing I was sure that I needed to reach my goal.
One needs to dare and be different. One needs to break stereotypes and prove one's worth. Even now at this new place, it is not pretty easy - different subjects, different people and different perceptions. The future looks unpredictable but I can certainly prepare myself enough for the present.
ABG - Changing and Inspiring Lives
Right from the time I can recollect I have always been fascinated with fashion. It used to be quite an event for me during my childhood days to get dressed up for birthday parties, festivals and school functions. But growing up, it was always a mammoth task for my mother to get a decent birthday dress for me. Each time she would buy the fabric, dig her imagination and go to the tailor to get a beautiful dress stitched for me. It was sweet of her but the process was very cumbersome.
Now, things are dramatically different. Buying apparels has become the easiest of all times and all thanks to the Aditya Birla Group for being a pioneer in the field of retail lifestyle stores. ABG was founded by Mr. Seth Shiv Narayan Birla and is currently headed by Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla. It has an array of industries ranging from cement, synthetic fibre, telecom,fashion retail to finance. It operates in around 34 countries and 5 continents. It aims to be “the leader” .Itsoperations revolve around the principles of sustainability, customer centricity, innovation and team empowerment. It has truly made a mark for itself in the areas it has ventured into.
For me , it is an inspiration to change lives. Buying garments always meant going to the market , asking the shopkeeper the kind of clothes one needed and then returning home with one of the handful of the options which were available. But times changed and visions broadened , retail chains came up. Now, there was a brand that each member of a family could look up to. While men had Peter England, Allen Solly and Van Heusen to choose from, women and children loved pantaloons.
Pantaloons is one of those loved brands which caters to all segments of the society. It has been innovating its designs and brands continuously. It has given the mango people an opportunity to love and be confident about themselves.
I have been a loyal pantaloons customer since my college days. Even now when I need to buy a mixed bag of garments for different members of my family I hop in Pantaloons. It is not only the brand, the product, but it is the trust and the association between the two of us that allures me each time. The ABG logo in orange and red to me signify vigour, strength and persistence. Allen Solly and Van Heusen have in a big way changed the Indian office dressing culture. The ABG group has also been working with schools to educate children, with the government under Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana to build houses . It is also offering building solutions and is nurturing various other CSR activities.
Their Journey inspires budding leaders to have a broad vision. Their journey of persistence and innovation inspires all to take initiatives , overcome challenges and move ahead.
#XIMB#ABGLPWooMe
