Dhirubhai Ambani: From 500 Rupees To Building An Empire – The Story Of Rags To Riches

Dhirubhai Ambani was born on December 28, 1932, in Chorwad, Gujarat. His father worked as a teacher in a primary school. Among four siblings, Dhirubhai was the third child. Despite having a large family, they faced financial struggles due to limited income.

Dhirubhai set out to earn from a young age. At just 16 years old, in 1948, with the help of his elder brother Ramniklal, he traveled to the city of Aden in Yemen. There, he worked for a company earning a salary of 300 rupees per month. He also worked for Aramco in Yemen during that time.

 

When Dhirubhai Ambani commenced Reliance Commercial Corporation in 1958, he started with a modest office spanning 350 square feet, furnished with a desk, three chairs, and two assistants. 

 

Dhirubhai Ambani married Kokilaben in 1955. He was the driving force behind the success of Reliance Industries. Dhirubhai Ambani's legacy continued through his children Mukesh and Anil Ambani who were born in 1957 and 1959. On June 4, 2002, Dhirubhai suffered a second heart attack. He was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai but could not survive. He passed away on July 6, 2002, at the age of 69.

 

Dhirubhai Ambani's wife Kokilaben partitioned the business in June 2005 between the two brothers. This division continued until 2006. In this partition, ICICI Bank's then chairman, V.K. Kamat, played a crucial role.