Part A: Why Aditya Birla Group is big in my life?
Aditya Birla Group touches millions of lives in one way or the other. From Vodafone-Idea to Ultratech cement, Van heusen to freshwrapp, Aditya Birla group has covered all verticals of the Indian market. ABG started way back in 1857 and has successfully managed to stand the test of time. The reason why ABG has been this successful is because of its five values: Integrity, Commitment, Passion, Seamlessness and Speed.
Back in 2014, E-commerce was not that popular in tier 3 cities. My brother and I decided to buy something for my father on his 50th birthday. Living in a city like Jammu, we always had to compromise on quality because not all brands were present in that city at that time and that’s when ABG came to our rescue. ABG’s Van Heusen recently opened its shop in one of the first malls in Jammu. This was the first time that my brother and I went shopping together. Despite the differences in our taste, we both chose the same t-shirt from the collection of Van Heusen: Power dressing. It was the first time we had bought something ourselves and we were happy that it was for our father. As we know that fathers are not expressive, but that smile on his face was proof that he loved our effort and the gift that we had bought him. This little incident might not be a big deal for the one who is reading this, but it definitely gave me confidence. It helped me to realise that I can be good at making decisions. The faith I have in ABG brands is the reason why I purchased Van Heusen’s suit set for my MBA as well. ABG is definitely #biginmylife.
Having taken part in COP 21 Paris summit, that was held in 2015, I was really happy that ABG was one of the Indian multinational conglomerates which created a Sustainable Business Framework that seeks to ensure that it future-proofs their businesses so that they continue to be successful in the longer term. I believe that the initiatives that ABG is taking for a sustainable future will bring a change which is #bigineveryoneslife.
PART B: How you overcame challenges to achieve your ambitions in life so far?
Most people agree to the notion that college days are the ones they will appreciate the most. Bunking classes, sleepless nights during exams, the late-night talks etc. make college life really special. One has a lot to cherish when he/she looks back. But for me, school life was the best one as I did not have any cherishable moments in the college. I studied at a college close to my home. Being a day scholar, I did not experience hostel life. Most of my school friends went outside to pursue their bachelors. During reunions, each of my school friends had a lot to share about their college life. I felt out of place as I did not have anything to talk. Soon I started avoiding any reunions and minimized my social media interactions as well.
I began to introspect. My past mistakes were flashing before my eyes. Though I was good at studies when it came to competitive platforms like Olympiads, I was lacking. I never took it as a challenge. I did not even try to push my limits. And after 12th I was completely exposed. Considering the lakhs of applicants for colleges, it is very difficult to get even an average college. And it is next to impossible if you did not have good coaching. After the results of the competitive exam were declared I did not stand anywhere. I did want to go outside to pursue bachelors. I was getting a computer science branch in one of the colleges in Mumbai and that was definitely not my first choice. All I wanted was to complete my graduation in computer science from a very good college. But because of lack of motivation and confidence, I chose to stay in my hometown and pursue an academic degree. At the end of my first year, I made up my mind to pursue an MBA. So I joined a coaching class. I wrote many mock tests but could not bring any consistency in my results. That was the darkest period of my life and I am happy that I have sailed through it. My brother guided and motivated me a lot. He shared his strategies and approaches to ace competitive exams.
It is been rightly said that “Sense of motivation is the key to various achievements in your life”. I am glad that I found that motivation in my brother. My dedication and sincerity bore fruits and I cracked one of the prestigious b-school exams.