Dhirubhai Ambani, whose full name was Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani, was an Indian businessman and the founder of Reliance Industries, a massive petrochemicals, communications, electricity, and textiles conglomerate that was India’s largest exporter and the first privately held Indian firm to make the Fortune 500 list. He travelled to yamen with his brother Ramniklal when he was 17. In 1958, Dhirubhai Ambani returned to India. Along with his cousin Champaklal, he founded the textile company “Majin.” Majin used to import polyester and export spices and rayon to Yamen. Ambani was a marketing expert who was also renowned as a risk-taker who believed in stockpiling inventory to increase profits. Dhirubhai Ambani had had a serious stroke. He was in a coma for more than a week before dying on July 6, 2002. Here are some of the interesting and unknown facts about Dhirubhai Ambani.
1. First step towards entrepreneurship
Dhirubhai Ambani was born in Chorwad, Gujarat, as the son of a local school teacher from the Modh community. His first foray into commerce came when he began selling chaat-pakodas to pilgrims at Gujarat’s Mount Girnar. He travelled to Aden, Yemen, for the first time at the age of 17 in 1955, and his first employment was as a gas station attendant.
2. Reliance Industries
In 1977, Dhirubhai Ambani established Reliance Industries. The Reliance Commercial Corporation’s original office was located on Narsinatha Street in Masjid Bunder. There was a telephone, one table, and three chairs in the 350-square-foot room. They had two helpers to assist them with their business at first.
3. His first salary
He served for A. Besse & Co (Antonin Besse) in Aden for 300 INRs in the mid-1950s.
4. Naming and Renaming
His business was renamed several times. His firm was first known as Reliance Commercial Corporation, later Reliance Textiles Pvt. Limited, and lastly Reliance Industries Limited.
5. His unauthorized biography
The Polyester Prince by Hamish McDonald, an unofficial biography, was released in 1998 but it was not approved for sale owing to legal threats from the Ambanis.
6. A Film on Dhirubhai
Guru, a Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam that largely based on his life, was released on January 12, 2007. Throughout the film, Abhishek Bachchan portrayed his character.
7. 2nd Highest Civilian Award
In 2016, the Indian government awarded posthumously him the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award.