6. CHILDHOOD
Extremely demanding, and difficult to placate.
As he grew up, he became even more vigorous,
and irrepressible.
Possessed immense gusto and enormous energy.
Always determined to do what he wanted
to do, in exactly the way he wanted it
done, come hell or high water, as the
phrase goes.
7. Education
After he completed his primary education, at
the village school, he was sent to the
Junagarh Dist. for further studies
Quite popular in his school
and well- known for his brilliance
and hard-work
Elected general secretary of the Junagarh
Students Union
8. Dhirubhai campaigned for the Socialists.
His elder brother and father were strongly opposed to
this decision, especially as he had failed in his
matriculation examination in the previous year.
The candidates for whom he had campaigned won.
Dhirubhai was pleased and was invited to join the
Socialist Party but he had other things in mind.
"Though I found the life of politics immensely
attractive, I felt deep in my heart that I belonged to
somewhere else…business, perhaps, though things
were not yet so clear to me," he said in his later years.
9. After his annual matriculation examination, on the
request of his father he had to move to Aden, Yemen to
support his family.
Aged 16 yrs.
Started worked with A. Besse & Co. as a dispatch clerk
for a salary of Rs.300, immediately on reaching Aden.
A. Besse & Co.-- largest transcontinental trading firm
east of Suez, engaged in almost every branch of
trading business-cargo booking, handling, shipping,
forwarding, and wholesale merchandising.
Dhirubhai -first sent to the commodities trading
section & later, transferred to the section that handled
petroleum products for the oil giant Shell.
quick on the uptake; learnt the ways of commodity
trading.
10. Majin Commercial Corporation
Ten years later, Dhirubhai Ambani returned to India and started
"Majin" in partnership with Champaklal Damani, his second
cousin, who used to be with him in Aden, Yemen.
The first office of the Reliance Commercial Corporation
was set up at the Narsinatha Street in Masjid Bunder. It was
350 sq ft (33 m2). room with a telephone, one table and three
chairs. Initially, they had two assistants to help them with their
business.
During this period, Dhirubhai and his family used to stay in a
one bedroom apartment. In 1965, Champaklal Damani and
Dhirubhai Ambani ended their partnership .
Dhirubhai started on his own. It is believed that both
had different take on how to conduct business. Ambani's net
worth was estimated at about Rs.10 lakh by late 1970s.
11. Reliance Textiles
Sensing a good opportunity in the textile business,
Dhirubhai and Aryan Mehra started the first textile mill
at Naroda, in Ahmedabad in the year 1966.
Dhirubhai started the brand "Vimal"Extensive
marketing of the brand "Vimal" in the interiors of India
made it a household name. Franchise retail outlets were
started and they used to sell "only Vimal" brand of
textiles.
Dhirubhai Ambani is awarded with starting the equity
cult in India. More than 58,000 investors from various
parts of India subscribed to Reliance's IPO in 1977.
12. •9 Great management lessons
from Dhirubhai Ambani
1: Roll up your sleeves and help.
2: Be a safety net for your team.
3: The silent benefactor.
4: Dream big, but dream with your
eyes open.
5: Leave the professional alone!
6: Change your orbit, constantly!
13. 7. The arm-around-the-shoulder
leader
8. The Dhirubhai theory of Supply
creating Demand
9. Money is not a product by itself,
it is a by-product, so don't chase it
Entrepreneurship’s true sense lies in the fact that he always looks upon opportunity.
“He gave courage which we never new we had”
16. BOOK
In 1998, a book published by Hamish McDonald titled "The Polyester
Prince" is also an unauthorised biography of Dhirubhai Ambani,
outlining all his political and business conquests.
17. AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
November 2000 – 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
2000, 1998 and 1996 – Featured among 'Power 50 - the most
powerful people in Asia by Asiaweek magazine
August 2001 – Economic Times Awards for Corporate
Excellence for Lifetime Achievement
A poll conducted by The Times of India in 2000 voted Him
"Greatest Creator of Wealth In The Centuries".
