In the legacies of Ambani, the very first name that comes to everyone’s mind is Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani which we also know as his pet name Dhirubhai Ambani. Dhirubhai Ambani was a famous business tycoon and the founder of Reliance Industries. The Reliance Industry is one of India’s largest conglomerates (a large firm made up of several different companies). Dhirubhai Ambani is widely considered one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Indian history.
Dhirubhai Ambani was born in Chorwad on December 28, 1932. Chorwad is a small village in the state of Gujarat, India. Dhirubhai was the third of five children in his family. His father (Hirachand Gordhanbhai Ambani) was a village schoolteacher, and his mother was a homemaker. As a child, Dhirubhai was known for his street smarts and his ability to sell things.
Dhirubhai moved to Aden in 1949. Aden is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen. He started his work there as a clerk at the petrol pump. After that, he soon began to work for a trading firm known as A. Besse & Co., named after its French founder Antonin Besse. Dhirubhai had a craving for Trading and learned the art of trading here on the streets of Yemen. As he didn’t have sufficient cash to enter into Trading, he borrowed as much as he could from friends and small Aden shopkeepers on terms nobody had ever offered them. “Profit we share and all loss will be mine” became his motto.
In 1957, Dhirubhai returned to India and initially settled in Mumbai, Maharashtra. In 1958, he started his first business venture, Reliance Commercial Corporation with a capital of Rs. 15,000 in Mumbai with his cousin. Reliance Commercial Corporation was a known trading company that was dealing in importing Polyester and exporting Spices to Yemen.
Later, in 1966, he established Reliance Textiles Industries Limited in Naroda, Gujarat, which marked the beginning of the Reliance Industries empire. Gujarat remained an important state for Reliance Industries as the company’s headquarters and several of its manufacturing plants are located in Gujarat.
Dhirubhai Ambani passed away on July 6, 2002. After his death, there was speculation about who would take over the reins of Reliance Industries. Dhirubhai Ambani has four of his children, two sons, and two daughters. Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Nina Ambani & Deepti Ambani. Mukesh Ambani is the elder son of Dhirubhai Ambani.
Mukesh Ambani had already been involved in the day-to-day operations of the company for several years, and he had played a key role in the expansion of the petrochemical and refining businesses. Anil Ambani had been responsible for the development of the telecom, power, and financial services businesses.
However, in a press conference held on July 7, 2002, the board of directors of Reliance Industries announced that Mukesh Ambani, the elder son of Dhirubhai Ambani, would take over as the Chairman and Managing Director of the company, and his younger brother Anil Ambani would be appointed as the Vice Chairman and Managing Director.
The decision to split the business between the two brothers was announced in 2005, and the two brothers went their separate ways in 2006. Mukesh Ambani retained control of the flagship petrochemicals, refining, and oil and gas exploration businesses under the Reliance Industries banner, while Anil Ambani took control of the telecom, power, financial services, and other businesses under the Reliance ADA Group.
