Let me begin by first telling you what my professional ambition in life is. It is to be a Global HR Manager.
Now, I haven’t crossed this milestone as of now but all the decisions and challenges, big and small, that I have taken up in my life so far are in some way, bringing me closer to this goal. The challenge majorly lies on the familial end. It is a typical case of being born in a conservative household functioning in a liberal society. To add to it, being the elder girl child, gender was not in my favour (still isn’t).
There was always this pressure to be perfect and at my best behaviour at all times because you’ll be the one the younger sibling would look up to. It took a lot of time to understand the mindset of the family and why things that seemed perfectly normal to want or aspire for, ticked them off. So, all the possible dissensions that you can now think of were very much present.
With time and a very persistent (slightly headstrong) attitude, things mellowed down a little. But the dream to be a global leader in the HR function was still a far-flung one. The pressing reason for that was the family’s inherent disdain towards the service sector. Ours is an out and out business family running now for over three generations. That background has cemented certain beliefs around the definition of work along with others such as ownership, freedom and quality of life.
Needless to say, they contrast with what life in corporate service would entail. However, interestingly, even though the environment around was pro-business (and anti-job), I found in myself an immense strength to stand my ground and proceed to what, I had identified as my true calling. It took considerable effort and channelling a lot of strong decision making to make my point heard.
The fact that I am sitting here today, submitting this article as part of the MBA HR curriculum of a respected business school, is a testament to have overcome some of the deterrents in the path of life.
Why Aditya Birla Group is big in my life.
We all have a fair idea of what the term ‘big’ means. But when I associate this term with a group as reputed and far-reaching as Aditya Birla, I redefine BIG as Broadening– Instilling – Growing. These three words perfectly capture the essence, the performance and the impact that the Aditya Birla Group has on the lives of each one of us. Right from the smartphone which is the first thing most of us look at in the morning to picking that perfect outfit for date night, we are engulfed by the brand’s initiatives from Hindalco Aluminium & Vodafone Idea to Louis Philippe, Forever 21, Van Heusen and many more. The venturing into e-commerce through ABOF, though not as rewarding, showcased the agility and ability to take risks.
My recent relocation to Mumbai introduced me to this absolute wonder called the Bandra – Worli Sealink and no sooner had I started gushing about its beauty that I realised it was made possible due to the largest cement company in the world – Ultratech, another super successful business of the Aditya Birla Group. It is not an easy job to tug at the hearts of over 7.5 million people across the globe. But the brilliant thought processes and sound diversification of the Aditya Birla Group has helped it attain this feat. My love for travel helps me connect with them through their Carbon Nanoparticles [CARS] and Birla Copper [INDIAN RAILWAYS] industries.
It will suffice to say that the Aditya Birla Group has an unwavering broad presence in all aspects of my life. Apart from business and services, there is another factor that makes this conglomerate highly relevant in my life and that is the ETHICS of the Birla family. They have always aimed at inculcating restraint and austerity, something I resonate with completely. Their social outreach is humongous and that goes a long way in instilling the confidence of the community.