Humanity has stood and will always stand for creating an immersive society which revels in the differences every individual has to offer. For the epitome of cultural diversity that India is, this statement holds the absolute truth of our country’s existence. We create an identity for ourselves by making choices that define our intrinsic characteristics. Every product that we choose to consider, buy and utilize crafts our personality for the world around us to see.
In this context, the Aditya Birla Group has gone above and beyond the constraints of what could be expected of a developing economy. Truly global brands like Allen Solly, Forever 21 and Van Heusen has personally changed the way I looked at homegrown brands. Anything foreign usually fascinates the general Indian buyer. The notion that high quality equals overseas manufacturing is a consequence of historical and factual ignorance.
A chance engagement with Forever 21 was what introduced me to ABG. Growing up in a small town in the southern part of Tamil Nadu, I had a cliched perception of what Indian clothing stores would look and function like. Once I moved to the city and found a need for a dress that I believe would compliment me, I was pleasantly surprised to have found one at the Forever 21 store in Chennai. The aura, display and the people inside deliver an experience that is bespoke of international brands known for the customer experience that goes beyond norms.
The dress I picked up ended up being one of my wardrobe favourites for three years now. You cannot help but love how fluid ABG’s products when they blend with the body and spirit that you as a person are. It was then I knew I’d be consciously going back to brands that speak to and for us.
With the onset of the masters in business education rigmarole in the past few months, there was an omnipresent need for an ensemble that communicated compassion, elegance and power. Being a woman, these are my ideas central to defining the individual that I am. Van Heusen, unsurprisingly, held the key. My first formal business suit that I walked out with from the store last January is my go-to element now for anywhere I need my presence to make a meaningful impact. On a side note, it also turned out to be a lucky charm when I cracked the first interview I had with the Goa Institute of Management. Being a huge believer in the universe and its cosmic consequences, this brand is ever closer to my heart than it would have been normally.
Lastly, as a zero waste and sustainability enthusiast, it feels brilliant to be a part of the brand that adopts environmental consciousness as one of its key business models.
BIG in my life:
Every phase in our lives flows towards and builds up to certain moments which can define our course of the rest of our existence. These moments are our opportunities to redefine and rediscover our capabilities and passions. To speak about one such moment in no way belittles the struggle behind many such formative ones we might be only subconsciously aware of.
One of these defining moments, personally, for me, would be when I summit-ed a peak 12,000 feet tall in the Himalayan ranges. As an individual, our physical limitations are what we are acutely aware of. They become even more evident and real when we begin pushing them beyond what we know to be our threshold.
As someone who seeks healthy challenges to conquer, the decision to be a part of this trekking program seemed a usual one. But what awaited me in this expedition was more than physical fitness goals.
I grew up in a tropical town clueless about winters. A December trip to the Himalayas was just what I needed to wake my senses, literally. This was also around the same time when Shimla was facing a severe water crisis owing to tourists. Trekking long distances are about mental endurance more than physical agility. The harsh weather, lack of convenience and luxury we are generally used to, detachment from the world as we know it poses a threat to the stability of our mind. The process requires being aware of our body and mindful of the thoughts that take over us in isolation.
Nature in its raw form is all-encompassing and overwhelming when we get too close to it. If we do not align ourselves to the surroundings, the scope for peace vanishes.
Picking up trash along the pathway, drinking water right out of crystal clear streams, acclimatizing to the mind-numbing cold during the nights while sleeping inside a compact tent can either make or break us. Unless there are persistence and an innate curiosity to indulge in intense, thought-provoking experiences, one cannot reach the destination.
On the final day, which began, for us at 2:30 AM so we could watch the sunrise from the peak is when I fully realized the potential of willpower. The hard snowy terrain accompanied only by swallowing darkness and a bunch of strangers from the trek group were hard enough to push me towards abandoning the objective. But, unmet goals are woes of self-confidence and that is something I can never give up. Gathering all the confidence, composure and calm that I could, I reached the summit four hours later to a beautiful view of the valley and mountains around the Chandrashila peak. The 8 days were rewarding in terms of learning and unlearning experiences that would last a lifetime.
After this, I grew conscious of what I am consuming as an individual. The scarcity of resources, that we are taking for granted here, at places we do not go to every day, was alarmingly clear. Our mindless attachment to gadgets which gets thrown to the wind once we are out in the wild was a personal reminder to be sensitive of the people living and breathing right next to us. Onward and upward!
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