Dhirubhai Ambani Biography: Wife, Age, Death, Net Worth, Children, Company, Legacy, Business Empire

Dhirubhai Ambani was a visionary Indian industrialist and business tycoon who founded Reliance Industries, transforming it into one of India’s largest conglomerates.

Renowned for revolutionizing the Indian capital market, his entrepreneurial spirit and strategic foresight reshaped industries like textiles, petrochemicals, and telecommunications, leaving a lasting legacy in Indian business.

Profile

• Full Name: Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani
• Stage Name: Dhirubhai Ambani
• Born: December 28, 1932
• Died: 2002 (Age: 69 years old)
• Birthplace: Chorwad, Junagadh, Gujarat, India
• Nationality: Indian
• Occupation: Industrialist, Business Tycoon
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Hirachand Gordhanbhai Ambani, Jamnaben Ambani
• Siblings: Ramaniklal Ambani, Saurabh Patel, Trilochana Ben, Jasuben, Natubhai
• Spouse: Kokilaben Ambani
• Children: Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Nina Kothari, Dipti Salgaonkar
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $2.9 billion USD

Early Life and Education

Dhirubhai Ambani, a visionary Indian industrialist, was born on December 28, 1932, in Chorwad, a modest village in Gujarat’s Junagadh district.

Raised by his parents, Hirachand Gordhanbhai Ambani, a schoolteacher, and Jamnaben Ambani, a homemaker, he grew up in a frugal Modh Baniya household alongside four siblings: Ramaniklal Ambani, Saurabh Ambani, Natubhai Ambani, Trilochana Ambani and Jasuben Ambani.

Ambani attended Bahadur Khanji School in Junagadh but left formal education after the 10th standard to support his family. His Religion is Hindu. His Ethnicity is Indian.

Career

Dhirubhai Ambani began his career in Aden, working as a gas station attendant and later as a clerk at A. Besse & Co., where he honed skills in trading, accounting, and marketing. In 1958, he returned to Mumbai, India, with Rs. 500 and co-founded Reliance Commercial Corporation with his cousin Champaklal Damani, focusing on spice exports and polyester yarn imports.

Their partnership ended in 1965 due to differing business philosophies, with Ambani’s risk-taking approach setting him apart. In 1966, he established Reliance Industries, launching the textile brand Vimal, which became a household name. Ambani took Reliance public in 1977, democratizing India’s stock market by attracting millions of retail investors.

His innovative use of convertible debentures fueled rapid growth, transforming Reliance into a powerhouse in textiles, petrochemicals, energy, and telecommunications. By the 1990s, Reliance was India’s largest private-sector company, commissioning the Hazira Petrochemical Plant and later the world’s largest refinery in Jamnagar.

Despite controversies over alleged market manipulation and political influence, Ambani’s vision made Reliance a Fortune 500 company, cementing his status as a transformative figure in Indian industry. After a stroke in 1986, he handed over operations to his sons, Mukesh and Anil, who continued to expand the empire.

Social Media

Dhirubhai Ambani passed away in 2002, before the rise of modern social media platforms, so he did not maintain personal accounts.

Personal Life

Dhirubhai Ambani, a visionary Indian industrialist, married Kokilaben Ambani in 1955 at age 23, forming a supportive partnership that endured throughout his life. The couple had four children: sons Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani. and daughters Nina Kothari Ambani and Dipti Salgaonkar Ambani.

Initially living in a modest two-bedroom apartment in Mumbai’s Bhuleshwar, the family later moved to a 14-floor apartment block, Sea Wind, in Colaba as Reliance grew. Ambani passed away on July 6, 2002, after a second major stroke, leaving behind a legacy celebrated by thousands at his funeral in Mumbai.

Net Worth

Dhirubhai Ambani, a visionary Indian industrialist, had an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion USD at the time of his death in 2002. His wealth stemmed from founding and growing Reliance Industries, a conglomerate spanning textiles, petrochemicals, energy, and telecommunications.

His innovative financial strategies, including public offerings and convertible debentures, drove Reliance’s exponential growth, creating significant wealth for shareholders and solidifying his legacy as a pioneer of India’s capital markets.