The year 1857 is no common year. The year represents the start of a revolution, the revolution of India fighting back. Fortunately, the same year also represents a revolutionary company – Aditya Birla Group. A US $43 Billion company, ABG is in the Fortune 500 list with 120,000 employees and it has truly taken “India to the world”. All along the way ABG has never compromised on the most important value – “To deliver superior value to the customers, shareholders, employees and society at large”. It is no surprise that ABG was titled as ‘Best Employer in India’ by Aon Hewitt.
Today Aditya Birla Group has a full-fledged ecosystem to serve their clients. While I sit under the roof made from Ultra-tech cement, I feed myself from groceries that come from ‘More’. The finance lessons in the class are the entry point into ABG’s financial services, while for those not choosing to be in a b-school, the firm provides the most trusted way to handle money responsibly. To communicate is one of the most basic human instincts. Vodafone-Idea connects me to my parents and 408 million other people on the network. As a 24-year old how can I forget fashion? Pantaloons, Louis Phillipe, Peter England, Van Huesen, Ralph Lauren India, every single clothing need is fulfilled. The complete Indo-global manufacturing supply chain is served by Hindalco and Birla Copper. But the jewel in the crown is the material of the future – Carbon Black. As the world’s largest producer it has manufacturing operations in 12 countries and customers in 70.
The firm today provides incubation to ideas of change. The partnership with ‘Startup India’ and ‘Invest India’ provides the support of government and the know-how of the industry to future job creators. To say that I have listed the ways in which ABG impacts our lives would be a huge understatement. Aditya Birla Group is not just ‘Big in Life’ for us as Indians, it is becoming a ‘Way of Life’ for us as Earthlings.
I was part of Enactus DTU working with project Unmoolan, aimed at providing a self-sustainable system to provide clean drinking water at huge slum community. After a month of futile efforts on the so called “obvious” need of clean drinking water, we realized the two fold nature of the problem. The primary challenge was to make the slum community to trust us and not think of us as money-thirsty individuals. Second was a dire need to make people understand the importance of clean drinking water. We went door to door, with pamphlets and a local doctor to spread awareness for three weeks continuously. We also conducted two medical workshops with the help of students from Maulana Azad Medical College and a local Municipal Corporation of Delhi school principal. Simultaneously we identified, local educated leaders and convinced them to be a part of our project. All along the way we faced myriad of problems under the scorching heat of the sun, ranging from filter installation, theft of water, plumbing issues and delivery mechanism. After 6 long months of continuous effort, the membership rose from 10 to ~150. For all the complications and dilemmas that I have faced in my life, I always cherish my time at Unmoolan as it taught me leadership, team-effort, self-belief and most importantly humility.
I personally believe in the life’s representation as a “sine-curve”. There will be crests, there will be troughs. The best methodology that I’ve applied so far is that in adversity, take baby-steps, keep an eye on the mountain peak and ask your heart, why you started on the journey in the first place. Go fearless and the dots will surely connect as fortune favors the brave.
