1. DHIRAJLAL HIRACHAND AMBANI (1932 – 2002)
ENTREPRENEUR PAR EXCELLENCE
GROUP MEMBERS
1.SACHIN NIKAM
2.K VIJAYKRISHNA
3.SHODHAN K
4.P CHAND
5.CYRIL SIMON
6.CN SUBHASH

2. ENTREPRENEUR
• DERIVED FROM FRENCH WORD ENTREPRENDRE MEANING ‘TO
UNDERTAKE’
• AN ENTREPRENEUR IS ONE WHO TAKES RISK TO START A
BUSINESS OR OTHER VENTURE, OR TO BUY AND ASSUME THE
TOP MANAGEMENT OF A COMPANY.
• A PERSON WHO BUYS FACTORS OF PRODUCTION AT CERTAIN
PRICES IN ORDER TO COMBINE THEM INTO A PRODUCT WITH A
VIEW TO SELL THEM AT UNCERTAIN PRICES - RICHARD
CARLETON

3. BROAD OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION
• LIFE & TIME
• VISION AND MISSION
• ACHIEVEMENT
• CRITICAL APPRAISAL

4. LIFE AND TIME
BACKGROUND
• DHIRAJLAL HIRACHAND AMBANI COMMONLY KNOWN
AS DHIRUBHAI AMBANI WAS BORN ON 28 DECEMBER
1932 AT JUNAGADH , GUJARAT TO HIRACHAND AND
JAMNABEN .
• FATHER , A SCHOOL TEACHER . SIBLINGS INCLUDED TWO SISTERS AND
BROTHERS. DHIRUBHAI WAS THE SECOND SON.
• HIGHLY INTELLIGENT, DISLIKED SCHOOL LESSONS AND CHOSE TO DO
PHYSICAL WORK INSTEAD. COULD NOT PURSUE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE
DUE TO FAMILY PROBLEMS.
• MARRIED TO KOKILABEN IN 1954.
• PASSED AWAY ON 06 JULY 2002. HE WAS SURVIVED BY KOKILABEN
AMBANI, TWO SONS, MUKESH AMBANI & ANIL AMBANI AND TWO
DAUGHTERS, NINA KOTHARI & DEEPTI SALGAONKAR.
“PROFITS WE SHARE AND LOSSES ARE ALL MINE”

5. WORK – INITIAL DAYS
• MOVED TO ADEN, YEMEN AT 16. STARTED HIS CAREER AS A DISPATCH
CLERK WITH A. BESSE & CO. FOR A SALARY OF RS 300
• IN DUE COURSE, PROMOTED TO MANAGE THE COMPANY’S FILLING
STATION AT ADEN.
• THE FIRST SIGN OF AMBITION TO ACHIEVE WAS OBSERVED IN EARLY
1950’s WHEN HE MELTED SILVER COINS OF YEMENI RIYAL INTO METAL
AND SOLD IT TO BULLION MARKET IN LONDON. HE KNEW THAT THE
INTRINSIC VALUE OF SILVER WAS MORE THAN THAT OF FACE VALUE OF
COIN.
• AT ADEN , HE ACCQUIRED SKILLS IN HIGH SEAS PURCHASE & SALES,
MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION, CURRENCY TRADING, ACCOUNTING,
PREPARING SHIPPING DOCUMENTS, DEALING WITH BANKS AND
INSURANCE COMPANIES
“I DON’T BELIEVE IN NOT TAKING OPPORTUNITIES”

6. EMERGENCE OF BUSINESS IN INDIA
• AMBANI RETURNED TO INDIA AND STARTED "MAJIN" IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH CHAMPAKLAL DAMANI IN 1958.
• MAJIN WAS TO IMPORT POLYESTER YARN AND EXPORT SPICES TO
YEMEN.
• THE FIRST OFFICE OF THE RELIANCE COMMERCIAL
CORPORATION WAS SET UP AT MASJID BANDAR IN MUMBAI.
• IN 1965, AT ONE INSTANCE RELIANCE BUILT UP A LARGE HOLDING
OF YARN IN EXPECTATION OF PRICE RISE. DAMANI PRESSURISED
AMBANI TO SELL OFF THE STOCK AT THE EARLIEST. SO DHIRUBHAI
SOLD THE YARN STOCKPILE-TO HIMSELF, IN SECRET. TWO - THREE
WEEKS LATER, THE PRICE OF YARN SHOT UP AND DHIRUBHAI
MADE A WHOPPING PROFIT.
• CHAMPAKLAL DAMANI AND AMBANI ENDED THEIR PARTNERSHIP
AND DHIRUBHAI VENTURED ON HIS OWN.
“ONLY WHEN YOU DREAM IT YOU CAN DO IT.”

7. EMERGENCE OF BUSINESS IN INDIA
• AMBANI AND ARYAN MEHRA STARTED THE FIRST
TEXTILE MILL AT NARODA , IN AHMEDABAD IN
1966.
• AGGRESSIVE MARKETING OF THE BRAND "VIMAL" IN
THE INTERIORS OF INDIA MADE IT A HOUSEHOLD NAME.
• AMBANI BEGAN THE PROCESS OF BACKWARD INTEGRATION, SETTING
UP A PLANT TO MANUFACTURE POLYESTER FILAMENT YARN.
•DURING RELIANCE'S IPO IN 1977 MORE THAN 58,000 INVESTORS FROM
VARIOUS PARTS OF INDIA SUBSCRIBED TO IT. DHIRUBHAI AMBANI IS
CONSIDERED A FATHER FIGURE IN PROMOTING THE EQUITY CULT
IN STOCK MARKET STATUS.
•LATER DIVERSIFIED INTO CHEMICALS, PETROCHEMICALS, PLASTICS,
POWER.THE FINAL PHASE OF RELIANCE’S DIVERSIFICATION OCCURRED
IN
THE 1990S WHEN THE COMPANY TURNED AGGRESSIVELY TOWARDS
PETROCHEMICALS ANDGOALS EVEN IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTIES,
"PURSUE YOUR TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
AND CONVERT ADVERSITIES INTO OPPORTUNITIES."

8. VISION & MISSION
VISION
• THROUGH SUSTAINABLE MEASURES, CREATE VALUE FOR THE
NATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SPECTRUM
AND HELP SPEARHEAD INDIA AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN THE
DOMAINS WHERE WE OPERATE
MISSION
• CREATE VALUE FOR STAKEHOLDERS
• GROWTH THROUGH INNOVATION
• LEAD IN GOOD GOVERNANCE PRACTICES
• USE SUSTAINABILITY TO DRIVE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
• ENHANCE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES
• ENSURE ENERGY SECURITY OF THE NATION
• FOSTER RURAL PROSPERITY
IF YOU WORK WITH DETERMINATION AND WITH PERFECTION,
SUCCESS WILL FOLLOW."

9. MILESTONES
1977
• RELIANCE WENT PUBLIC WITH IPO
• DHIRUBHAI INTRODUCED AN EQUITY CULT IN INDIA
• A NEW MODEL OF BUSINESS LEADERSHIP FROM A BASE OF THE
BROADEST PUBLIC SHAREHOLDERS
1982-88
• RELIANCE SUCCESFULLY COMMISSIONED POLYSTER
MANUFACTURING FACILITY AT PATALGANGA.
• ANOTHER STEP IN BACKWARD INTEGRATION
"DON'T GIVE UP, COURAGE IS MY CONVICTION."

10. MILESTONES
1991
• RELIANCE COMMISIONED PHASE-1 OF HAZIRA PETROCHEMICALS
COMPLEX.
• CONSOLIDATED ITS POSITION IN POLYSTERS
1993
• PIONEERED THE FIRST EVER EURO CONVERTIBLE BOND ISSUED
BY AN INDIAN COMPANY FOR US$140 MILLION
• RELIANCE RAISED RS 2172 CRORES FROM DOMESTIC CAPITAL
FOR SETTING UP WORLD CLASS REFINERY AT JAMNAGAR,
GUJARAT.
• THE LARGEST EVER PUBLIC OFFERING BY ANY INDIAN
CORPORATE.
"WE BET ON PEOPLE."

11. MILESTONES
1995
• RELIANCE BECAME THE FIRST PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANY TO BE
RATED BY “INTERNATIONAL CREDIT RATING AGENCIES”.
• ALSO BECAME THE FIRST PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANY FROM INDIA
TO RAISE US$ 300 MILLION IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEBT MARKET
1996-97
• RELIANCE TAPPED THE US DEBT MARKET WITH YANKEE BOND
ISSUE FOR A TOTAL OF OVER US$ 600 MILLION. THE MATURITIES
FOR THESE ISSUES WERE 10-100 YEARS
"MEETING THE DEADLINES IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, BEATING THE
DEADLINES IS MY EXPECTATION."

12. MILESTONES
1996-98
• RELIANCE COMPLETED PHASE-II EXPANSION OF HAZARIA PETRO
CHEMICALS COMPLEX WITH AN INVESTMENT OF OVER RS 9000
CRORES.THIS INCREASED RELIANCE PRODUCTION CAPACITY
FOURFOLDS TO MORE THAN 6 MILLION TONNES PER ANNUM
2000-02
• RELIANCE CONSOLIDATED ITS POSITION AS THE SINGLE
LARGEST SHAREHOLDER IN BSE.
• INDIA’S LEADING POWER UTILITY COMPANY RELIANCE
ANNOUNCED ITS INFOCOM FORAY WITH A CAPITAL OUTLAY OF
UPTO RS 25000 CRORES( US$ 5 BILLION) ADDRESING ENTIRE
TELECOM MARKET IN INDIA WITH A NATIONAL FOOT PRINT
“OUR DREAMS HAVE TO BE BIGGER. OUR AMBITIONS HIGHER. OUR
COMMITMENT DEEPER. AND OUR EFFORTS GREATER. THIS IS MY
DREAM FOR RELIANCE AND FOR INDIA."

13. MILESTONES
2000-02
• RIL AND RPL BECOME INDIA’S TWO LARGEST COMPANIES IN
TERMS OF ALL FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
• RPL MERGES WITH RIL, THE LARGEST EVER MERGER IN INDIA.
THE MERGER GAVE RIL THE DISTINCTION OF BECOMING INDIA’S
FIRST PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANY, IN THE INTERNATIONALLY
RATED, FORTUNE GLOBAL 500 LIST OF THE WORLDS LARGEST
CORPORATIONS
• RELIANCE RATED AS “INDIA’S MOST
ADMIRED BUSINESS HOUSE”
“ THE PROBLEM WITH INDIANS IS THAT WE HAVE LOST THE
HABIT OF THINKING BIG .”

14. AWARDS
• 'BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR 1993', BUSINESS INDIA - 1994
• AWARDED THE COMPANION MEMBERSHIP OF THE TEXTILE
INSTITUTE, UK, AN AWARD WHICH IS LIMITED TO 50 LIVING
MEMBERS (WHO HAVE "SUBSTANTIALLY ADVANCED THE GENERAL
INTERESTS OF THE INDUSTRIES BASED ON FIBRES”) - 1994
• 'STAR OF ASIA' BY BUSINESS WEEK, USA - 1998.
• AWARDED THE DEAN'S MEDAL BY THE WHARTON SCHOOL,
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, FOR SETTING AN OUTSTANDING
EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP - 1998.
• THE ONLY INDIAN INDUSTRIALIST IN 'BUSINESS HALL OF FAME'
IN ASIA WEEK - 1998.
• CONFERRED THE “INDIAN ENTREPRENEUR OF THE 20TH CENTURY”
AWARD” BY FICCI - 2000
"I AM DEAF TO THE WORD "NO".“

15. ENTREPRENEUR TRAITS
• LEAD BY EXAMPLE
• ABILITY TO CONVINCE
• OPPORTUNIST
• MANIPULATOR
• STRONG CONVICTION AND AGGRESSIVE APPROACH
• EXCELLENT INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
• BELIEVED IN CHANGE, UPGRADATION AND INNOVATION
• HIGHLY CALCULATIVE RISK TAKER
"YOU DO NOT REQUIRE AN INVITATION TO MAKE PROFITS."

16. CRITICAL APPRAISAL
POSITIVE ASPECTS
• HE WAS A BUSINESS MESSIAH FOR HIS
INVESTORS
• HE WAS ENDOWNED WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC
MEMORY FOR FACES & NAMES AND
MAINTAINED EXCELLENT INTER PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH EMPLOYEES & PARTNERS
• THE WHOLE IDEA OF CREATING VALUE FOR SHAREHOLDERS WAS
PIONEERED BY DHIRUBHAI AMBANI IN THE INDIAN STOCK MARKETS
• HIS DREAMS & STEADFAST VISIONS LED TO THE UNIMAGINABLE
EXPANSION OF RELIANCE EMPIRE
“"GIVE THE YOUTH A PROPER ENVIRONMENT. MOTIVATE THEM.
EXTEND THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. EACH ONE OF THEM HAS
INFINITE SOURCE OF ENERGY. THEY WILL DELIVER."

17. CRITICAL APPRAISAL
PERSONALITY AS PERCEIVED BY PEOPLE
• AMBANI WAS A PERSON WITH LOT OF HUMILITY. IT IS EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE SO MUCH IN LIFE AND STILL BE CONNECTED TO
YOUR ROOTS AND REMAIN HUMBLE. SUCH WAS HIS CONNECTION WITH
SHARE HOLDERS AND PUBLIC.
• HE WAS COMPASSIONATE FOR THE SOCIETY AND WAS
INVOLVED IN A LOT OF PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES
WITHOUT BEING BOASTFUL ABOUT IT.
• IT INCLUDED ADOPTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE,
BUILDING HOSPITAL, ECO FRIENDLY INITIATIVES, RURAL
DEVELOPMENT SCHEME, EMPOWERMENT OF WOMWEN ETC
PURSUE YOUR GOALS EVEN IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTIES AND
CONVERT ADVERSITIES INTO OPPORTUNITIES.”

18. CRITICAL APPRAISAL
PERSONALITY AS PERCEIVED BY PEOPLE
• AS PER ONE WRITER, THERE ARE THREE PERSONALITIES OF
DHIRUBHAI AMBANI
- FIRST, IS A UNIQUE, LARGER THAN LIFE, A BRAND NAME. AND FOR
GUJARATI PEOPLE. HE HAS TREMENDOUS EMOTIONAL AND
SENTIMENTAL APPEAL. HE IS THEIR ULTIMATE MAN.
- SECOND , IS A SCHEMER, A LIAR, WHO REGRETS NOTHING AND
HAS NO VALUES IN LIFE.
- THIRD, WHO HAS A MORE SOPHISTICATED POLITICAL BRAIN, A
DREAMER AND A VISIONARY.
• PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GETTING THE THREE PERSONALITIES
MISTAKEN.
"BETWEEN MY PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE, THERE IS
ONE COMMON FACTOR: RELATIONSHIP & TRUST. THIS IS THE
FOUNDATION OF OUR GROWTH

19. CRITICAL APPRAISAL
PERSONALITY AS PERCEIVED BY PEOPLE
• TO ANOTHER WRITER, HE WAS A 'FRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTER‘
CREATED BY THE EXPERIMENT OF CLOSED INDIAN ECONOMY WHO
COULD ‘MAKE OR BREAK PRIME MINISTERS’ BY EXERCISING A
CONTROL OVER MEDIA, STOCK MARKET & POLITICIANS.
• A SENIOR LAWYER ALSO HAD AN EQUALLY STARK VIEW WHO SAID
'TODAY THE FACT IS THAT DHIRUBHAI AMBANI IS BIGGER THAN
GOVERNMENT’.
• WHATEVER SAID & DONE DHIRUBHAI AMBANI IS ARGUABLY
INDIA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR OF THE CENTURY.
DHIRUBHAI WILL GO ONE DAY. BUT RELIANCE'S EMPLOYEES AND
SHAREHOLDERS WILL KEEP IT AFLOAT. RELIANCE IS NOW A
CONCEPT IN WHICH THE AMBANIS HAVE BECOME IRRELEVANT.”

20. An ordinary man with Extraordinary Talent……