Born on Dec 28, 1932 in Gujarat, Dhirubhai Ambani saw quite a few financial constraints in his early life.
The businessman was just 17-years-old when he went to Yemen and worked as clerk in Aden to support his family.
He returned to India a few years later and founded the Reliance Commerical Corporation, precursor to Reliance Industries which transformed the Indian textile industry.
The Corporation became Reliance Textile Industries and later, Reliance Industries. Soon, Ambani ventures into petrochemicals; the first petrochemical plant in 1980s and initiated the construction of the world-class Jamnagar Refinery.
Apart from being a businessman and entrepreneur, Dhirubhai Ambani was also a philanthropist and committed to social causes in areas of educaion, health care and rural development.
The business empire started by Dhirubhai Ambani and his legacy now lives through Reliance Industries, run by his sons Mukesh and Anil Ambani.
Dhirubhai Ambani passed away after suffering a major stroke, on June 24, 2002; he was awarded India's second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan posthumously in January, 2016.