There are conglomerates which you remember listening about since your childhood. The Aditya Birla Group is one such name. From helping my mother pack lunch with Freshwrapp foil to buying my first business suit from Van Heusen, Aditya Birla Group’s companies and brands have been intricately associated with my life in different ways. A trip to Pantaloons, Forever 21 and Allen Solly stores always ended with an exquisite quality of clothes and accessories along with a great shopping experience. Hindalco Industries Limited, UltraTech Cement Limited and Birla Carbon have been leaders in manufacturing of metal products, cement, and carbon black additives respectively with production of highest quality unified with innovation and sustainable practices.
It is indeed phenomenal that ventures of the Aditya Birla Group have achieved exceptional success. A work force of over 120,000 employees with 42 different nationalities working together as a team is in itself a microcosm of this global world. The Aditya Birla Group soars to newer heights with its strong foundation of values. Values of Integrity, Commitment, Passion, Seamlessness and Speed encourage making decisions with responsibility, rectitude, zeal, collaboration, and optimization.
While advancing in various industries, the Aditya Birla Group has made an immense social impact on the community. Important initiatives have been taken by the Group in sectors of healthcare, education, sustainable livelihood, infrastructure as well as model villages. It has also collaborated with the Government in schemes such as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, MGNREGA, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and Rural Livelihood Mission to create a difference on social concerns and bring about positive and progressive changes in each strata of society.
The Aditya Birla Group is a force that inspires. It inspires us to innovate; to believe in our values. It inspires us to deliver our best keeping future generations in mind. It inspires us to provide support to those who need it the most. Above all, it inspires us to take on challenges and to keep on persevering in quest of achieving what we are meant to accomplish.
Challenges in Life: Stepping Stones for Growth
The only thing constant in life is change. One of the most testing but also one of the most fruitful challenges in my life was associated with change. Big changes as well as some little ones.
With high school fast approaching a finish, I was faced with the dilemma of pursuing my undergraduate degree from a university near my home town or of pursuing it in the city of Chennai, which was almost 2200 Km from my home. I was a young individual full of excitement for the future but also a little child filled with anxiety of stepping out of the comfort zone of my home, where my family and friends were always nearby to provide any kind of support or help.
With a desire to have diverse experiences I decided to take the plunge and move to a new city where I had never been nor had known anyone. The starting stretch of anything new is always difficult. I had to manage studies, social interactions and personal well-being all together. Through this period of struggle, I realized how important it is to ingrain oneself with a sense of responsibility and develop confidence through being persistent even in face of difficulty. Over time, the things which felt onerous at one point became easier. Acquaintances became friends and confidantes and teachers became helpful mentors. The city felt more welcoming with familiar smiling faces. I got the opportunity to perceive that people from diverse backgrounds have different perspectives and interaction with people having different thought processes enriches us with their understanding as well. In waves of change, we find our direction. And slowly but steadily I found my goals to accomplish too. I learnt to be responsible; to be considerate to thinking of others even if it doesn’t comply with my own; I learnt that sometimes in life things do not go according to plan but still we need to keep moving forward and believe in ourselves to reach the things we aspire for.
The biggest learning from this experience was that changes are good and challenges make us stronger than we think we are.