Dhirubhai Ambani (1932- 2002)

Dhirubhai Ambani was the most enterprising Indian businessman. He built the India's largest private sector company. He founded the Reliance Industries in Mumbai with his cousin.Reliance is the first Indian company to feature in Forbes 500 list.

Life of Dhirubhai Ambani

Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani better known as Dhirubhai Ambani was born in a Modh family on December 28, 1932, at Chorwad, Gujarat. His father was a teacher in a school. He began his entrepreneurial career by selling "bhajias" to pilgrims in Mount Girnar over the weekends. 

At the age of 16, after doing his matriculation, Dhirubhai moved to Aden, Yemen. He worked there as a gas-station attendant, and as a clerk in an oil company. In the year 1958 he returned to India with Rs 50,000 and set up a textile trading company. 

He was assisted by his two sons Mukesh and Anil Dhirubhai Ambani to make the India's largest private sector company, Reliance India Limited. 

Over the years his business has diversified into a core specialisation in petrochemicals with additional interests in telecommunications, energy, information technology, power, textiles, retail, infrastructure services, logistics and capital markets.

Career of Dhirubhai Ambani

After returning to India from Yemen, Dhirubhail Ambani started Majin in partnership with Champaklal Damani his second cousin. Majin was to import polyester yarn and export spices to Yemen. The first office of the Reliance Commercial Corporation was built at the Narsinatha Street in Masjid Bunder. 

The office initially started with two assistants to help them to build their business. Dhiribhail Ambani started on his own business in 1965 after he ended his partnership with Champaklal Damani. 

It is said that both of them had a different view on how to conduct the business. Reliance became the first Indian company to raise money in global markets, its high credit-taking in international markets limited only by India's sovereign rating in the year 1992.

Death of Dhiribahi Ambani

On June 24th 2002, Dhirubhai Ambani was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after he suffered a major stroke. It was his second stroke, the first one had occurred in February 1986 and had paralyzed his right hand. 

Ambani was in coma for more than a week and a number of doctors were consulted. He breathed his last on 6th July 2002. 

It was his second stroke, the first one had occurred in February 1986 and had paralyzed his right hand. He was in a coma for more than a week and a number of doctors were consulted. He died on 6th July, 2002.

Awards and Recognitions

He was conferred the Conferred Man Of The Century award by Chemtech Foundation and Chemical Engineering World in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of the chemical industry in India in November 2000. 

He as honoured with the "Dean's Medal" by The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, for setting an outstanding example of leadership Dhirubhai Ambani has the rare distinction of being the first Indian to get Wharton School Dean's Medal in June 1998. 

He was awarded the Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence for Lifetime Achievement in august 2001. 

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) named him the the "Man of 20th Century. In 2000 a poll conducted by The Times of India in 2000 voted him "Greatest Creator of Wealth in the Centuries.