Coming from one of the biggest metropolitan cities in the world and being very brand conscious for almost every kind of purchase I make, I certainly cannot dream to have had a purchase interaction without buying or at least considering products by Aditya Birla Group. It’s practically everywhere!! Prior to pursuing my post graduation at IMI, New Delhi I was working at a top Investment Bank in Mumbai. To fit the role of an investment banker I would always keep my wardrobe updated with the newest trends in the formal section. I frequently visited Louis Philippe as the sheer fitting of its clothes would be perfect for me as if they were tailor made just for me. Some of the other brands I frequently visited to shop for formal clothes were Van Heusen, Ted Baker which also are brands by the Aditya Birla group and it is unbelievable to notice how wide their range of offerings are and is something you just cannot avoid while shopping for good quality and fashionable outfits. Even when my mother goes shopping she has the habit to take me along and I always notice that she invariably shops the maximum of her clothes from Pantaloons which provide her with good quality and in Vogue outfits.
It is not only in my clothing experiences wherein I find brands by Aditya Birla Group ever encompassing but also the aluminum wrapping foils that my mother used to use while packing my lunch box to the ads we have seen growing up of UltraTech cement and actually see my new house getting made by that cement. It’s really hard to not notice this brand with the sheer diversification it has in its portfolio.
With the sheer ups and downs in life it has been one heck of a roller coaster ride. I personally believe that persistence is the key to accomplishing any goal we aim for. There one specific accomplishment I can recall at this point in time and that is of cracking the CAT along with an extremely rigorous schedule. As mentioned before I was working in an investment banking firm which required me to work for a minimum of 10 hours a day for 5 days a week. The CAT prep seemed to be smooth in the beginning but as I went deep into the various aspects covered in the CAT it started becoming tough to maintain my focus along with my work schedule. It took me 3 years to finally have belled the CAT and make it to a premier institute like IMI, New Delhi however the behind the scenes of this success is something very few people know. It included not more than 4-5 hours of sleep, a 2 hour daily commute to and fro from my work place, a minimum of 2 hours of CAT preparation on weekdays coupled with a 5-6 hour rigorous studying schedule over the weekends and a minimum of 10-11 hours of work on a daily basis.
What I learnt from this experience is firstly the power of never giving up even though I had not cracked the CAT in my first two attempts. It further taught me how to make optimal use of my time. Through my working career of 4 years I was one of the most consistent high performers in my office and was one of the go to people from whom people use to clear their doubt in relation to any Fixed Income derivative based issues. I hence feel this is a huge accomplishment for me to have managed and excelled both at my workplace and in securing a seat on a coveted college like IMI, New Delhi.