‘Just looking like a wow’ meme echoes Indian economy’s vibrant energy: Kumar Mangalam Birla in his annual note

Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, in his annual note, spoke about the great strides the Indian economy has made. He said the nation is “awash with optimism, pride, and anticipation” that has stemmed from India’s high-growth trajectory. Birla also said that perhaps it is time to imagine a ‘national confidence index’ and also invoked the viral meme, ‘just looking like a wow’. 

“The viral meme ‘just looking like a wow’ echoes the vibrant energy of the Indian economy and captures the unparalleled nature of this moment. In the arc of a nation’s progress there comes a moment when you feel a certain pulse. A deeply impactful one - the pulse of a nation's confidence. Perhaps it’s time to imagine an index that captures the collective confidence of a nation. Maybe call it the national confidence index!” said Birla. 

Birla called India a “nation on the move” that can be a transformative force. He said that is the “dynamism and energy of a young country and ancient civilization that has found its voice and footing”. 

He also quoted his grandfather, GD Birla’s letter to the shareholders from 50 years ago, and reflected on the learnings from 2023. Aditya Birla Group’s market capitalisation grew over 40 per cent over the previous year to around $90 billion. He also said that are launching two new and large businesses in 2024. 

“Amidst these milestones, I found myself revisiting a letter penned by my great grandfather, Mr. GD Birla, 50 years ago. A testament to enduring values, in a changing world. His words, written at a time when the world, and India, were very different, echo through the decades,” said Birla. 

He then quotes the letter where GD Birla had pondered about how a company should be judged – but its profitability and market share or something more human, deeper and warmer. “We have always believed there is,” GD Birla had written 50 years ago, highlighting that it really matters how much a company cares, how socially involved it is, and how concerned it is about improving the quality of life of the people around it. 

Birla said that GD Birla’s letter came even before terms like CSR and stakeholder capitalism gained currency. “We often tend to view the world through the lens of live events, and that lens can be distorting. However, when viewed through the clarifying perspective of the longer arc of time, it is remarkable how certain core values endure,” he said. 

He said that in the four years since 2020 when the world saw a global pandemic, wars, unprecedented tech acceleration and a reshuffle of the global pecking order, it is embracing ideas and values with permanence that help in navigating the chaos. 

Birla spoke of the ABG Awards held in Atlanta in 2023, where he met – among many others – a chauffeur from Alabama, called Lionel, who expressed his curiosity in the company’s global expansion plans. 

“This multi-billion-dollar investment is not just a significant step in our global journey but also for him a symbol of job creation and prosperity in his hometown. Lionel's enthusiasm for our project was more than evident. It was personal. He was genuinely moved that a company of Indian origin was creating an economic impact in his community that would transcend generations,” said Birla, highlighting the power of globalisation. 

Birla said, “In this exchange, what I realised was, globalisation in its authentic form doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. And the model of globalisation that will always work is one that is founded on openness, mutual trust, and transparency.”

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