Meet Kokilaben Ambani’s Parents: Ratilal Jashraj Patel and Rukshmaniben Patel

Kokilaben Ambani, born on February 24, 1934, in Nawanagar State (now Jamnagar, Gujarat), is revered as the matriarch of the Ambani family, one of India’s most influential and powerful business dynasties.

Known for her strength, grace, and unwavering resilience, Kokilaben has played a pivotal role in nurturing the values that define the Ambani legacy today.

Born into a humble Gujarati Patidar family, she was raised in a modest, devout Hindu household. Her father, Ratilal Jashraj Patel, worked as a telegraph office clerk, and her mother, Rukshmaniben Patel, was a homemaker.

Growing up alongside two brothers and two sisters, Kokilaben learned the importance of discipline, humility, and spirituality—values that have remained at the heart of her personal and family life.

She completed her early education at Sajuba Girls’ High School in Jamnagar, studying up to the 10th standard. Though her formal education was limited, her wisdom and foresight would later influence the course of one of India’s largest corporate empires.

Kokilaben’s life took a transformative turn when she married the late Dhirubhai Ambani, the visionary founder of Reliance Industries. As his devoted partner, she supported his entrepreneurial journey from modest beginnings to the creation of one of India’s most valuable and far-reaching business conglomerates.

As the mother of industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani, she has been a guiding force behind their rise to global prominence.

Ratilal Jashraj Patel

Ratilal Jashraj Patel, Kokilaben’s father, was a clerk in a telegraph office in Nawanagar State during the pre-independence era.

His role required precision and diligence, qualities that reflected his disciplined character. Working in a telegraph office was a respectable yet modest occupation, providing the Patel family with a stable but simple income.

This allowed them to maintain a middle-class lifestyle in the culturally rich region of Jamnagar. Ratilal’s work ethic and commitment to his responsibilities likely influenced Kokilaben’s ability to navigate challenges, particularly during her early married life with Dhirubhai Ambani in a modest two-bedroom chawl in Mumbai.

His steady presence as a provider set a foundation for the family’s values of perseverance and responsibility.

Rukshmaniben Patel

Rukshmaniben Patel, Kokilaben’s mother, was a dedicated homemaker who devoted her life to nurturing her family.

As was typical for women of her time, Rukshmaniben focused on managing the household and raising her five children—Kokilaben, her two brothers, and two sisters. Her role was integral to maintaining family cohesion, and she instilled traditional Gujarati values of humility, devotion, and hard work in her children.

Rukshmaniben’s influence is evident in Kokilaben’s deep-rooted spirituality, seen in her regular visits to the Dwarkadhish Temple in Jamnagar and the Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, as well as her practice of arranging kathas under the guidance of spiritual leader Ramesh Bhai Oza.

Rukshmaniben’s nurturing presence shaped Kokilaben into a devoted wife and mother, capable of balancing family life with the demands of supporting her husband’s ambitious business ventures.