My Journey To The Promised Land With ABGLP - Akshar Jayarao, XIMB

I went on to receive two awards from the National Institute of Fashion Technology on my graduation namely, the “Best Graduation Project” award and the “Most Commercially Viable Project” award. These awards inspired me to pursue an MBA from the coveted Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. So, it is quite safe to say that the Aditya Birla Group was present at the big steps of my life, helped me look through the noise and bash on regardless.

How I overcame challenges in my life to achieve my ambitions.

Sitting on a comfortable bed, being more or less part of the privileged section of society, I feel like Master Oogway imparting the wisdom of life as I write this essay. But nevertheless, this is my moment isn’t it? Let me run the clock back to June 24^th, 2014.

My parents and I were on an exciting vacation to the group of islands of the African coast, Seychelles. An undiscovered paradise, white sand beaches and fresh water untouched by the murky human hand. My father and I loved the water, we shared umpteen memories in the pool, from me clumsily learning how to swim to us competing in swimming medleys. One sunny afternoon, we were off on a local cruise which was to culminate with all the passengers going snorkeling in the quiet lagoons of the Mahe backwaters. As planned, my father and I geared up in our suits and dove into the fresh water. The water was rough, nothing like the calming confines of the swimming pool, so I stayed close to the boat. But my father, in his adventurous spirit, zipped swiftly through the rough currents of the Arabian Sea. In a matter of a split second, I noticed my father, far from me, was struggling for breath. In my vain attempt to reach back to the boat and inform the guard, I paddled through the ocean. Soon enough I was able to inform the guard and a life boat rushed to his rescue. Minutes turned to hours, and my heart pounded with anticipation and worry. About two hours later, we received word that my dear father was no more.

A widowed mother and a young teenage son, at the threshold of his academic life, were struck by something we never anticipated. I ended up joining the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Hyderabad, so that I could be there for my mother in Hyderabad. Being in NIFT was never my first choice, so my entrance into the gates was with anger, frustration and disappointment. Battled the grief of the loss of my father and being in a course, that was not my first choice took a toll on me. But keeping my father’s spirit in me, I put on my creative hat and pushed through the rigorous and demanding NIFT curriculum. In NIFT, garment construction is a key technical skill, simply put – stitching from scratch. One of the key quality parameters was that the colour of the thread is to be the same as the colour of the fabric. This was a gargantuan task for me because I have been grossly colour – blind since birth. My competitive and ambitious side wanted to push through but my handicap chained me down each time I tried. I was fortunate to have a strong support system and friends who cared. I was able to push through the obstacles, and graduate with bagging two academic awards and a plethora of awards in debates, extra – curricular activities and sports. Now, as I step into XIMB, I embraced my challenges and I look forward to a career in fashion and apparel.

 Looking back, I would never change the way my life panned out. Like common quote, everything in life happens for a reason. I believe that stands true for a fact. There are no failures, there are only temporary setbacks, trust the process and invest in you.

#ABGLP #ABGWOOME #XIMB  #ABGWOOMESEASON-2