From a careless and carefree princess to becoming a heedful and careworn one. It all started when my father got his second heart attack, this time a major one. Doctors had advised him complete bed rest. As his only and legal successor, it was time for me to step into his shoes. I was 19 at that time. The business empire was not huge but had many livelihoods connected to it directly and indirectly. Every individual working there was working not only for money but also for an important product which is unique to our country, Khadi. Yes, we manufacture garments for KVIC.
As I ascended to the throne, my very first project got me a debit of 19 lacs (which more or less almost got me an attack). That made me lose faith in myself. But I had no option of stepping down. There were a lot of responsibilities. Managing work, family along with college rigour was not easy. I was learning every day from everyone around me. Mistakes were being made and corrected as well. But the efforts were barely recognised. To everyone, I was not more than my father’s daughter who got everything served on a platter. To some extent, it was true but not all of it was.
And as they say winners don’t quit. Soon I started with my own knitting unit, employing 6 people on permanent basis. The stint as a proprietor made me more responsible or rather accountable, after all I had taken loan from the government under Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme to start my own venture and also because now I was the only employer. Even I started to contribute my bit (however insignificant) to GDP. It taught me to put my resources including humans to efficient use. My aim was not only centered at profit maximisation. I wanted to add value to it. So when I got this opportunity to work with Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWFA, Airforce) where my profit margins where substantially reduced, still I decided to provide them with the Khadi Garments for their stores inside their Station. People are crazy for Khadi, I swear!
Meanwhile, I also worked as a policy intern with NITI Aayog for 3 months. The common notion “government does not do anything for its citizens” was vanished. I worked with the top-notch sharp minds of the country. Apart from my internship topic which was Co-operative Federalism where I analysed the relationship between the state government of Odisha and the Central Government, I also assisted the department with day to day tasks. I was also involved in the budget allocation for welfare of SCs and STs (SCSP & TSP). While working on it, I got well acquainted with the miseries and dreadful conditions of various socially disadvantaged groups of our country. It saddened me to the core to realise that how we have made issues pertaining to their lives mere “hot topics” for debates.
Doing something for the nation and contributing my best towards it has always been one of main goals and Aditya Birla Group, one of the biggest conglomerates of India having a significant presence in markets ranging from cement, insurance products, telecommunications, etc has played an instrumental role in the development of the nation. Right from being the 4th largest manufacturer of insulators in the world, to playing an instrumental role in various infrastructure projects across India, to reaching the masses through its wide collection of fashion accessories, it has touched and inspired millions of lives across the country in many ways. Its various CSR initiatives aimed at women empowerment and healthcare have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.
As a B- School student, it has a special importance in my life. The general management role that is offered by ABG is one of the most sought-after roles across campuses both during the summer as well as the final recruitment process. The dynamism involved in the role is something that fascinates me. ABG being a conglomerate, gives you the opportunity to work across different industries and across different divisions right from strategy to marketing to finance. This wholistic exposure gives a kickstart to one’s professional career.
To be able to contribute to the development of the nation; to inspire millions across the country; to be able to positively impact lives in multiple ways and working with some of the finest brains of the country are few of the qualities that make ABG big in my life.
