ABG- A global transcending conglomerate, SIBM Pune

Right from Pantaloons fashion and retail to Ultratech cement, ABG is a force to be reckoned.

Pantaloons is my go-to shopping stop for obvious reasons. The product quality and experience are unmatched.Shopping is an integral part of an average person’s routine and so it is mine. One retail shop that has always been my favorite is Pantaloons. The best part – economical and classy goes hand in hand here. It was a one-stop solution for all my needs of new casual wears to business formals, much needed for my new MBA journey. Yet again finding out that Pantaloons is from the family of Aditya Birla Fashion Limited was astounding. And there was much more to it: Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Peter England; never knew that I had been associated so intricately with ABG for a long while.      

          Aditya Birla Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate, headquartered in Worli, Mumbai, India. It operates in 35 countries with more than 120,000 employees worldwide. The group was founded by Seth Shiv Narayan Birla in 1857. The group has interests in viscose staple fiber, metals, cement (largest in India), viscose filament yarn, branded apparel, carbon black, chemicals, fertilizers, insulators, financial services, telecom, BPO, and IT services.

          Dramatic, sweeping and far-reaching changes have taken place over the past three years, not just in India but across countries. Three years back, it would have been hard to believe that such a metamorphosis would take place in the economic scenario of the country — which is leading to changes, not just in business and industry, but in our very psyche, in our attitudes, in our way of thinking and even in our daily lives.

          Let us first talk about size. Globalization and size are almost inextricably linked. As all of you know, Indian industry, for far too long, has lived under a draconian regime of controlled and officially prescribed capacities, guided by politics and not economics, which has resulted in fragmented and sub-optimal capacities that are uneconomic.

          It is sometimes difficult to comprehend the quantum leap that has taken place in plant sizes. From fragmented and small plants, today, ABG has reached a position where they can take pride in having world-scale plants in several industries.

          Let me give you some examples from the Aditya Birla Group because that is what I know best. Today, ABG is the world's largest producer of viscose staple fiber. ABG operates the world's largest palm oil refinery, with a staggering 3500 tonnes per day capacity. ABG is the world's third-largest producer of insulators and the sixth-largest producer of carbon black.

This is when we are only three years into the liberalization process. Imagine what our achievements in globalization will be ten years down the line if we continue on today's virtuous road of liberalization. Indian industry has a key role to play in the prosperity of our country. Its full potential needs to be unleashed if the business of India is to be in business.

Globalization has opened the floodgates for the Indian industry of the vast reservoir of international capital. From being closed in a shell, ABG is now becoming global in ownership.

(B) How have you made an impact?

 1. Healthcare.

 2. Education.

 3. Sustainable livelihood programs.

 4. Infrastructure.

 5. Model villages.

   Sustainable development should always be the first and foremost objective of every budding manager and entrepreneur.

   I am currently working on a project that serves to combat the impending water crisis in the next decade. Thinking along the lines of sustainable development every budding manager and entrepreneur can make a significant contribution and impact to set the foundation for the years to come.