New Delhi, May 21: Reliance industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has been awarded the prestigious Asia Society Leadership award. The award, presented by the Asia Society at a function yesterday in Washington, is in recognition of his contributions to the development of modern Indian economy, a crucial factor in closer ties between India and the US, a Reliance release said. "Ambani has led the emergence of reliance from a textile manufacturer into a 20 billion dollar conglomerate, participating in polyester fibers, petrochemicals, petroleum retailing, oil and gas and information and communication sectors," it said.

He is currently involved in rolling out the largest and most complex information and communications technology infrastructure and solutions in the form of Reliance Infocomm. With this award, Ambani has joined the prestigious group of previous awardees including Indira Gandhi, Lee Kuan Yew, Fidel Ramos, Henry Kissinger, Hong Kong's chief administrative secretary Anson Chan, US secretary of transportation Norman Mineta and Lockheed Martin Corp chairman Vance Coffman. The Asia Society is America's leading institution dedicated to fostering understanding of Asia and communication between Americans and the people of Asia-Pacific.

Bureau Report