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At the age of 17, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ananya+birla&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Ananya Birla</a>, daughter of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ADITYA+BIRLA+GROUP&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Aditya Birla Group </a>Chairman <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Kumar-Mangalam-Birla-and-family-are-investing-Rs-500-crore-in-food-and-grocery-biz/articleshow/52398031.cms">Kumar Mangalam Birla</a> and philanthropist <keyword id="438263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Neerja-Birla">Neerja Birla</keyword> decided to ignore the weight of her surname and followed her heart by starting her own <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=MICROFINANce&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">microfinance</a> company called <keyword id="3852778" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Svantantra-Microfinance">Svantantra Microfinance</keyword>. 
 
The success that followed made one thing evident-Ananya Birla doesn’t waste time in pursuing and realising her dreams. 
 
At a time when most people her age are struggling to find clarity and direction, Ananya on the other hand is exuding brilliance in everything she undertakes. 
 Since then, she has gone on to become an active campaigner of mental health besides launching her own e-commerce venture, <keyword id="3634135" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="CuroCarte">Curocarte</keyword>. But, she isn’t done. 
 One would think she would take it easy for a while after what she’s managed to achieve at such an young age; but <keyword id="2654844" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ananya-Birla">Ananya Birla</keyword> continues to surprise. 
 
Now 22, she is making waves in her new avatar- a popstar. 
 
 
 
Last Saturday, the young musician launched her debut international single ‘Livin’ the life’ in a glitzy event in Mumbai which was attended by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=hrithik+roshan&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Hrithik Roshan</a>, Sooraj Pancholi, Dino Morea and Sohail Khan. A mix of EDM and pop, the track has been mixed by Dutch DJ <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=afrojack&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Afrojack</a> and composed and written by Ananya and American producer Jim Beanz. The duo then recorded the track at a studio in Philadelphia. 
 
The single was a result of a one-year long collaboration between her and Beanz, who has previously worked with international popstars Demi Lovato, Nelly Furtado to name a few. 
 
“Livin’ the Life’ is all about celebrating life and spreading love and kindness in the world. By coming out of adversity, one can start to see beauty, and that’s how the song came about,” she states when asked about the inspiration for her debut single. 
 
Many would call this shift of hers from a successful entrepreneur to the newest musician on the block unforeseen, but as it turns out, it was always on the cards. 
 
 
 
 
Ananya’s tryst with music began early. She played the santoor and guitar while growing up and counts The Fray, Ed Sheeran and Cheryl Cole as her inspiration. 
 
However, it was only during her time at University of Oxford, did the musician inside her breathe life. Singing and playing the guitar at live gigs became a regular occurrence so much so that in two years, she had performed at over 70 gigs and in essence, found her calling. 
 
She now writes lyrics, composes music and has plans to launch a soul and R&amp;B album soon. Infact, she has already started writing her next track. It goes without saying that music consumes her. 
 
When you ask Ananya, what music means to her, pat comes the reply. “To me, music is about life in totality and love in its purest form. It’s about capturing and expressing your emotions and celebrating everything about life.” 
 
Ananya is quite clear about one thing- her future as a musician doesn’t necessary have to intertwine with Bollywood. Instead, her priority is to give people access to music platforms through her organisation, One. 
 
Watch her song here: 
 
 
 
Image credit: <a href="http://www.vogue.in/content/ananya-birla-indias-newest-musician-block/#s-cust0">Vogue</a>

Meet 22-year-old Ananya Birla, the successful entrepreneur who decided to turn popstar

<keyword id="2654844" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ananya-Birla">Ananya Birla</keyword>, daughter of <keyword id="6354955" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Kumar-mangalam-birla">Kumar Mangalam Birla</keyword>. Boom! You’re already thinking of a spoilt rich brat born with a golden spoon. You can’t be more wrong. 
 Miss <keyword id="39439" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="birla">Birla</keyword> ain’t that in any way humanly possible. This Oxford-educated 21 year old has actually stridden into the world of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=micro-finance">micro-finance</a> with <keyword id="3238407" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Svatantra-Microfin">Svatantra Microfin</keyword>, her own enterprise that aims to empower women in the under-served rural areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. 
 
Her Mumbai-based startup was officially launched on March 1, 2013, and offers micro loans at one of the lowest interest rates in the industry. Livelihood related loans are offered at 22%, while the standard interest rates are 25-26%. 
 
How do rural women reach you? 
They have phones, and we have hoardings all over <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=rural+India">rural India</a>. 
 
They can call, or come into one of our branches at any time. Our officers are also constantly on the lookout. 
 
Can women pay back the loan amount? 
We’ve got 100% repayment rates. It all boils down to the organization. 
 
It’s more about whether we’re lending to the right people than what they’re doing wrong. The onus is on us, and not on them. We only lend to people who can handle these loans and have running businesses. We also do loan utilization checks on a regular basis. 
 
Don’t people object to constant checks? 
Quite contrary to the stereotype, they’re very open-minded. They never object to any checks at all. They’re actually grateful to have got that loan. 
 
The other substitute really is money-lenders who give out loans at 100-200% interest rates. 
 
How big is the challenge to go cashless in a majorly cash-driven economy? 
The entire idea of an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=entrepreneur">entrepreneur</a> is to drive change. If you challenge a system, it’ll take time, and you cannot give up. 
 
There was a li’l bit of a hiccup, and in less than a month people realized the benefits, and now we’re completely cashless. 
 
We’re actually moving towards cashless collections as well. It’s the way forward. 
 
Most common problem for Rural Women 
Children’s education is a huge issue that pops up every time I talk to them. 
 
They’re very keen to educate their children. I haven’t seen so much of ‘my husband doesn’t give me money’ and all of that. 
 
Getting <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=educational+loans">educational loans</a> is a big challenge for the rural crowd. They want to send their kids to under-grad and post-grad colleges, but don’t have the money for that. 
 
How do you see the ‘Birla’ tag? 
I take that in a positive manner. It’s very important to stay grounded, understand your values and ethics, and use the money you’ve got in the right manner. 
 
This is my first venture. I’m coming up with an e-commerce venture very soon.

Exclusive: This Junior Birla’s
packing in a Big Punch, meet Ananya Birla

<keyword id="6354955" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kumar-mangalam-birla">Kumar Mangalam Birla</keyword> and his family are planning to invest Rs 500 crore in the food and grocery business owned by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Now-Aditya-Birla-Group-joins-the-Defence-equipment-manufacturing-party/articleshow/52023254.cms">Aditya Birla Group</a>, so that its authorised capital is increased to Rs 750 crore. 
 <keyword id="849288" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aditya-Birla-Retail-Limited">Aditya Birla Retail Limited</keyword> (<keyword id="148276" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="ABRL">ABRL</keyword>) has passed a board resolution that allows shares to be issued on a preferential basis to either Kanishtha Finance &amp; Investment or RKN Retail, promoted by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Aditya-Birla-Group-would-soon-allow-employees-to-take-time-off-for-pursuing-their-entrepreneurial-ideas/articleshow/51024584.cms">Birla</a>, his family and some closely-held companies of the family. These details were revealed by the privately-held company in a filing with the Registrar of Companies. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Exclusive-This-Junior-Birlaspacking-in-a-Big-Punch-meet-Ananya-Birla/articleshow/50913784.cms">Exclusive: This Junior Birla’s packing in a Big Punch, meet Ananya Birla</a> 
 
"The issuance and allotment for shares up to Rs 500 crore will be in one or more tranches within a period of twelve months," the filing said. With the additional capital, the company will be able to meet its capital expenditure needs while also handling of its debt. 
 "The board resolution was related to an enabling provision to allow the company increase the authorised capital to meet its general corporate expenses in the ordinary course of business and also to refinance its existing debt portfolio," <keyword id="271065" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pranab-Barua">Pranab Barua</keyword>, business director for apparel and retail business at <keyword id="44373" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aditya-Birla-Group">Aditya Birla Group</keyword>, told ET. 
 
Also read: ​<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Now-Aditya-Birla-Group-joins-the-bad-world-of-e-commerce/articleshow/49428944.cms">Now, Aditya Birla Group joins the bad world of e-commerce!</a> 
 
ABRL is the fourth largest supermarket chain in India, featuring in the list after <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Kishore-Biyani-in-talks-to-raise-Rs-300-crore-for-FMCG-business/articleshow/50055279.cms">Future Group</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/LYF-worth-could-be-1-billion-next-year/articleshow/52255160.cms">Reliance Retail </a>and <keyword id="3374400" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="DMart">D'Mart</keyword>. As of now, the authorised capital is Rs 390 crore, from which it is being planned to be increased to Rs 750 crore. 
 
Since its inception over 9 years ago, ABRL has seen losses of Rs 5,320 crore; however, for the year ended March 2015, the losses were reduced by 5% and brought down to Rs 571 crore. 
 
The reason behind this is said to be their strategy of focusing on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/One-of-Aditya-Birlas-cos-is-heading-for-a-London-Stock-Exchange-listing-soon/articleshow/49448895.cms">profitable markets</a>. 
 
<a href="http://assets.bwbx.io/images/iQDjJ.J6BX7A/v1/-1x-1.jpg">Image source</a>

Kumar Mangalam Birla and family are investing Rs 500 crore in food and grocery biz

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Meet 22-year-old Ananya Birla, the successful entrepreneur who decided to turn popstar

Poulomi Das

Exclusive: This Junior Birla’s packing in a Big Punch, meet Ananya Birla

Saikat Pyne

Kumar Mangalam Birla and family are investing Rs 500 crore in food and grocery biz

BI India Bureau

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