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Guwahati, March 10: Here is yet another exemplary instance of Assamese youth transcending barriers to attain top global positions. Starting his journey in a very humble way from the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Tezpur in the 1980s, Abhijit Kashyap Borah has reached to be the head of global communications and public affairs at the RHI Magnesita, based in its headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
RHI Magnesita is the world’s largest refractory products, solutions and technology company, with annual revenue of around Euro 3.6 billion (Rs 32,000 crore) operating in more than 170 countries.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as head of global communications and public affairs at RHI Magnesita, based out of our headquarters in Vienna. Looking forward to the support and guidance from all my colleagues, peers and business partners," Abhijit said.
Abhijit brings over two decades of experience to his latest role, boasting 15 years of service within corporate communication functions, coupled with an additional five years of expertise in reporting and editorial capacities across both national and regional media platforms. Throughout his illustrious career, Abhijit has consistently demonstrated exemplary leadership within the communications and public affairs arenas.
He has been working with RHI Magnesita for the last five years, leading the communications and public affairs function for India, West Asia and Africa region from its regional headquarters in Gurgaon.
“Now, I have been elevated to the role of head of global communications and public affairs to be based in our global headquarters in Vienna, Austria. In this role, I will be leading a team of communications experts based in Vienna and also spread across all the continents to drive internal and external stakeholder communications, including digital communications,” Abhijit told The Assam Tribune, narrating his role.
“Additionally, I will spearhead the public affairs engagement of the company with various stakeholders like the European Union, UNIDO, various governments, institutions, and industrial bodies on some key topics like sustainability, de-carbonisation, and diversity.”
Looking back:
Abhijit was the only son of the couple Babul Chandra Borah and Banti Borah. He started his schooling at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Tezpur before doing his graduation in economics from Darrang College and thereafter going to Gauhati University.
Apart from studies, he developed a keen interest in debating since his school days and went on to win several debating competitions.
Just after his university days, Abhijit got an opportunity to be associated with The Asian Age. But later, he joined Amar Asom, an Assamese daily, in a full-time role. He recalled meeting some of the biggest names of the fraternity, like Homen Borgohain, Manoj Goswami, Gautam Sarmah, Dhruva Mahanta, Bedabrat Bora and others who shaped his initial days as a journalist.
“I spent around five years in journalism and I consider those as my initial days of great learning. Somewhat like a career launch pad. Journalism taught me the finer aspects of 'storytelling’, which is a basic requirement for a communication professional,” the 45-year-old said.
Then his first break in the corporate world came in the form of a job as a PR executive with a conglomerate – DS Group, in 2007. And since then, in the last 15 years, he had the opportunity to contribute to and lead the corporate communications function of some leading brands like Dabur, Yamaha, Everest and now RHI Magnesita.
"During all these years of professional life, I have had my share of ups and downs, struggles, and challenges. Being grounded, patient, persistent and having self-belief in challenging times is always key to come out of it," Abhijit reckoned.
Though he studied in an Assamese medium school, the language couldn’t be a barrier for him to reach the global platform. It reflects his sheer hard work and dedication.
“In whichever field or organisation you are, patience, perseverance, honesty, hard work and continuous learning stay as the guiding pillars of success,” is what Abhijit believes.
