There are certain events and experiences in our life that leave a lasting impression on us. As we grow older, some brands or companies are etched in our memories because of the work they do or the effect they have on our personal life. In my opinion, the above title is appropriate for a company like Aditya Birla Group which through its brands has touched so many lives including mine.
I can still remember when I was a boy and our parents used to plan Diwali shopping, my father used to say, “Main to Peter England ki do teen shirts leke aajaunga, lambi chalti hai.” I only listened at that time, but understood it better when I studied ‘Brand Loyalty’ in Marketing. I may not remember the bursting of firecrackers or the colorful Diwali lights, but this I do. Years on, I can still see some of the Peter England shirts in my father’s wardrobe.
Remember the phrase - No Ullu Banaoing? Remember Abhishek Bachchan saying - What an Idea Sirjee? The advertisement campaign by Idea Cellular Limited focused on different societal evil practices like corruption, discrimination, fraud in such a funny way that people immediately connected with the idea. By the way, I still think replacing people’s names with phone numbers can end the problem of casteism!!
6,6,6,6,6,6 – Yes you got that right…. Yuvraj Singh! We all know about his life and his struggle. The man who defeated cancer and came back harder to make his career best ODI score of 150 holds a special place in my heart because of his journey. Well I still remember his advertisement of Birla Sun Life Insurance Co Ltd, where he talks about maintaining health and to think about the future prudently. Today when I look back, I can totally relate my life with the advertisement and the cricketer, the reason for which you will read on in the next part.
These are just some of the brands through which Aditya Birla Group has transformed so many lives of individuals and I hope that someday I can be a part of this prestigious institute and contribute towards touching the lives of our society.
Fall down Seven Times, Get up Eight
“He knows not his own strength who hath not met adversity.” – William Samuel Johnson
If I had to explain my life in a sentence, I would mention the above said quote. Born in a middle-class family in Delhi, I grew up watching different role models who were successful in their respective fields. Time and again, I used to hear their stories about how life knocked them down and they chose to rise up again. But somehow, I couldn’t relate to them as I had a pretty decent life. Great family, good friends, respect and recognition from people and good marks- everything a teenager aspires to have.
After graduating from Delhi University, I decided to pursue MBA from a decent b-school and started preparing for entrance exam. When I got 97 percentile in CAT 2017, I was over the moon. Finally, after a great deal of preparation and stressful interviews, I got admission in Indian Institute of Management Raipur. People around me started treating me like a celebrity, saying – Ladka IIM jaa raha hai, life set hai. However, what I didn’t notice in all the celebrations was that my body weight had reduced drastically from 74 kg to 53 kg due to loss of appetite coupled with consistent mild cough. Before going to Raipur, I decided to meet my family doctor so that I could get rid of cough. I was surprised when my family doctor told me with a concerned look on his face to undergo CT and full body PET scan. Three days and two tests later, I found out that I was diagnosed with B-cell Lymphoma, a type of chest cancer. Yes, it took me a while to register that completely. And when I did, I straightaway went from a happy going-to-be-successful boy to a dispirited human whose dreams and aspirations had just crashed down. What followed were two days of depression, with everyone trying to console me and expressing their sympathy. My parents were distraught, discussing with everyone the treatment procedure, and I was simply in the other room, lying down on my bed with my elder brother constantly trying to instil courage in me.
My life suddenly became like a strict timetable of school with fixed appointments with doctors, planning treatment schedule and stocking up medicines. 5 sessions of chemotherapy in 5 months were planned with one week in hospital and rest of the month counteracting medicinal side-effects. Painful tests, low immunity, lesser stamina and a bald head – that pretty much summarizes my 5 months of treatment. Meanwhile during the treatment, I filled my CAT 2018 application form once again although I was apprehensive whether I would be able to score even 95 percentile this time. My sessions finally got over in October and side effects ended towards the month end. Keeping my faith in the almighty, I started preparing for CAT with whatever time I had left. 26 November came, and I gave my exam, uncertain of what was going to happen. On 5 January when I checked the result, I found out that I had secured 99 percentile.
There are days when it doesn’t matter whether you are a tough body builder or a sensitive human; tears will fall down your face. Although I knew the process was not over, I suddenly became my own role model, in line with other people whose stories I grew up listening to. After sitting in interview rounds with higher level of confidence, I finally secured admission in MDI Gurgaon, a college which I didn’t even dream of getting into one year before. And now while I sit in my Change Masters hostel room in MDI Gurgaon writing this article, I remember the journey I went through, the family and friends who supported me and the strength of getting back up which I never knew I had.
Well, as they say, Life will knock us down, but we can choose whether to get up or not.
