Aditya Birla group has a multitude of products - UltraTech Cement, Hindalco, Columbian Chemicals Co., various branded apparel like Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Van Heusen and, Peter England; and a telecom giant in Vodafone Idea, showcasing a variety of products across various categories; but whenever I hear Aditya Birla, the very first thing that pops into my head is something entirely different - that big one.
In 2015, feeling the effects of his old age and the death of my grandmother, my grandfather shifted from the village he had lived for all his life in, in Bihar, to come stay with us in Pimpri Chinchwad in Pune, my hometown. With old age also came other problems, one of these being problems in his eyesight. A couple of months later, while I was away at college, my father informed me that my grandfather had been admitted to a hospital, the Aditya Birla Hospital. That big one, I asked. He replied in the affirmative - yes, that big one. He would be undergoing an operation to get rid of the cataracts which had formed in his eyes. I came back home a week later, and together, with my parents, I stayed at the hospital until my grandfather's recovery. At his recovery at home, we bonded over his fascination with football, which he could now clearly see because of his operation. There’s probably nothing nobler than being able to make a positive difference to someone’s life, and that was something Aditya Birla managed to do.
I've faced challenges all my life - a few overcome, a few still waiting in the distance, just out of reach, only visible when it’s time for them to be overcome. An early big challenge I faced was during my high school, when my father was transferred from Pune to Coimbatore, where I arrived from an area I had grown up in with many friends, to a place where almost no one even understood the language I spoke. After an initial struggle, I managed to settle in well, enjoying my time there, making friends, discovering new interests, and opening up myself to new experiences. Ultimately, two years later when my father told me that he had been transferred back to Pune, I was distraught as I wanted to stay there for the remainder of my life.
Another challenge that I have tried to face head-on has been my fear of public speaking. In my time at Coimbatore, at the behest of my teacher, I participated in an elocution competition representing my school in this competition. I started well, but within half a minute, I completely forgot what I wanted to say, and stood staring at everyone for what seemed like an eon. After this, I tried to stay well clear of any such events. However, in college I decided to join the college’s public speaking club, only clearing the interview in my second attempt. In the club, I practiced for events and in time, I got comfortable on the stage. While I’m still not at my most natural on stage, my improvement has been immense.
Life is a series of opportunities, disguised as challenges, and it doesn’t bode well to run away from them, because one day when you least expect it, they’ll catch up to you. It’s best to go ahead and face them head-on.