Under Dhirubhai Ambani's visionary leadership, the Reliance Group emerged as the largest business corporation in India, and carved out a distinct place for itself in the global pantheon of corporate giants. The Group's track record of consistent growth is unparalleled in Indian industry and perhaps internationally too. Today, the Group's turnover represents nearly 3 percent of India's GDP.
Shri Dhirubhai Ambani was not just firmly rooted in traditional Indian values, but was also the modern man, the man of the new millennium. This was clearly reflected in his passion for mega-sized projects, the most advanced technology and the highest level of productivity. The corporate philosophy he followed was short, simple and succinct - "Think big. Think differently. Think fast. Think ahead. Aim for the best". He inspired the Reliance team to do better than the best - not only in India but in the world. Don’t you find this man inspiring?
In addition, prestigious awards and titles were given to him by national and international organisations. He was acclaimed as the top businessman of the twentieth century and praised for his dynamic and pioneering genius. His success story fired the imagination of the younger generation of Indian entrepreneurs, business leaders and progressive companies. He was an icon for me and them, a role model to be emulated.
He was probably the first Indian businessman to recognise the strategic significance of investors and discover the vast untapped potential of the capital markets and use it for the growth and development of industry. He was supremely confident that finance would never be a limitation in executing his projects because, as he said proudly, Indian investors would provide him with the necessary resources.
And the investors never let him down. Shri Dhirubhai Ambani succeeded in creating an investor base of historic proportions for the Reliance Group. An unbreakable bond of implicit trust existed between him and the shareholders. They placed their savings in his care and he worked with his genuineness to get them the best returns. He brought happiness and prosperity into the homes of millions of investors and he also had the ability to persuade people, which is one of the best quality in him.
An Indian God states, "The actions of a great man are an inspiration for others. Whatever he does, becomes a standard for others to follow." This certainly applies to my hero.
We are very fortunate to have had a man like Dhirubhai Ambani in our midst. His sterling leadership qualities, remarkable foresight, uncompromising pursuit of excellence, humility, prodigious capacity to motivate and trust people will continue to guide and inspire future generations at Reliance. We are proud and privileged to inherit this invaluable legacy.
His life and achievements prove that backed by confidence, courage and conviction, man can achieve the impossible. From a humble beginning, he went on to create an enviable business empire within a span of just 25 years. The Rs.60,000 crore, $13billion Reliance Group is a living testimony to his single-minded dedication and an unrelenting commitment to his goals.
Truly, men like Shri Dhirubhai Ambani are rare. They come gifted with the power and the vision to change the destiny of nations, to alter the course of corporate history. They are the empire builders, the stuff that legends are made of. The legend called Shri Dhirubhai Ambani will never die. The man is intelligent, gifted with extraordinary talents and successful.
Don’t you think he is a legend?
His spirit will live on forever.
