Dhirubhai Ambani never shied away from breaking outdated traditions. He believed that if a modern idea was more profitable and sensible than a traditional thought of outdated value then it was simply stupid to stick to the tradition. He revealed the secret of his success thus—‘Indian product must be modern and its quality of international standard. But its price must also be competitive with other rivals.’
This thinking fully reflected in his products. He thought faster than others and far ahead of them. So, his every plan was crowned with success. But the success of a person generates jealousy and attracts criticism. There was no dirth of Dhirubhai detractors and baiters. But they were products of jealousy and faded fast. His success sounded their death knell. About his success he simply commented—‘I am an ambitious person and I have the capacity to understand others. That is what lies at the root of my success.’
The towering position of today’s Ambani group of Industries, is based on the sweat and toil of Dhirubhai. There was a time when he had no office of his own. And he had hired a table space for two hours in an office. Those were the initial days when a starter like him could not afford his own office in an expensive city like Mumbai. Dhirubhai had come from a humble background to the city of dreams. His Aden days were merely points in his learing curve. He had to live with his brother’s family with his own family in a chawl like environment where toilet and bathroom was common for all tenants on a floor. The elder son of Dhirubhai, Mukesh had seen those trying days of initial struggle of his father. The younger son Anil arrived much later and he saw only a fleeting glimpse of that period through his infant eyes. The sons saw their father in hectic activities to make progress and the spirit infected the boys definitely. Dhirubhai understood the importance of education in emerging India that would not allow space for ill educated like it made for him. The new India was going to be a tough proposition where uneducated would be at gross disadvantage. He paid prime attention to the education of his sons. They were sent abroad for education.
He himself commanded respect of others being the pioneer entrepreneur who built up the Ambani industrial empire. But his sons would have no such advantage. They would need high education and managerial skills to function and work with highly educated specialists, managers, associates, engineers and staff of their business empire. As a result his sons are admirably carrying forward Dhirubhai legacy.
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