Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani (1932–2002), better known as Dhirubhai Ambani, was an Indian business tycoon😎 who founded Reliance Industries🏭.
In his early life, he worked in an oil🛢 company and at a petrol pump as a labourer in Yemen.
Then he returned to India and by investing Rs 50000💰 of his savings, he started a textile👕 trading company.
It subsequently started production as well as retailing🏢, under the brand name Vimal.
’Reached the top’
Ambani took Reliance Industries public📃 in 1977 and by 2007, the combined fortune of the family was $60 billion😳, making the Ambanis the 3rd richest family👨👩👦👦 in the world.
Held Sway
Dhirubhai was effectively the 1st Indian entrepreneur who closely tracked🔍 share price of his company and was proactive in ensuring that prices of his script didn’t fall.
In one such incident, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) had to be shut down🚫 for three days as he successfully prevented🛡 an attempt to artificially lower📉 the price of Reliance’s share by his rivals.
Gave up reigns
Dhirubhai handed over control of Reliance in 1986 to his sons👬 Mukesh and Anil following a stroke.
He died after suffering a fatal stroke on 6th July 2002🗓.
In 2016, he was honoured🏵 posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s 2nd highest civilian honour for his contributions in trade and industry.
A Controversy
An unauthorized biography📖 of Dhirubhai Ambani called The Polyester Prince’ was published in 1998 by Australian journalist Hamish McDonald.
In it, Dhirubhai’s political and business 💪conquests were outlined.
The publishers HarperCollins didn’t sell the book in India, because the Ambanis threatened😠 legal action.