How Mukesh Ambani was shaped by his dad Dhirubhai – now India’s richest man passes his father’s lessons on to his own kids Akash, Isha and Anant

Jan 29 , 2021

Mukesh Ambani, then and now – how he grew from a shy schoolboy into one of the world’s richest men. Photo: @Jainpankajkasan/Twitter, @mukeshambaniofficial/Instagram

He was shy, took a long time to make friends and had the weight of a powerful family legacy on his shoulders. This was Mukesh Ambani before he became one of the world’s richest people. Back in the day, Ambani was awkward in TV interviews, looking away from the camera and hesitating before answering questions. Now Ambani holds live chats with Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg in front of a global audience that hangs on his every word.

So, how did Mukesh evolve from a withdrawn young man to a confident global businessman and, most recently, a proud new grandfather figure? As it turns out, it was his father who had the biggest influence on him. We track the evolution of the most powerful Ambani family member …

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He started off shy

Although he grew up in a household where his father, Dhirubhai, was seen as an icon in India, Mukesh was always shy and withdrawn. He did not easily make friends and it took him a long time to open up to people. Even today, Mukesh doesn’t believe in fickle relationships and has very few people he is close with.

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Mukesh didn’t grow up privileged

Despite having wealth because of the powerful empire his father had begun to build in India, Mukesh says he grew up in an ordinary household and did not lead a spoilt life. Though busy, his dad made sure that no matter what, Sunday was devoted to his children. Mukesh has said that his father was a workhorse, but also made sure to bring out the best in his children, allowing them space to grow and encouraging them to dream big. He has tried hard to follow his father’s lead with his own children.

Silent but powerful

Mukesh with wife Nita Ambani. Photo: IG@nitaambaniii

Mukesh used to be shy and withdrawn, but he made sure he had a voice when it came to important decisions. When he was looking for a life partner, he agreed that his parents be involved in helping him find somebody to marry, but on condition that he had the final say. This signalled a landmark coming-of-age moment for the Ambani son in cementing his ability to make decisions in his own life. It led him ultimately to marry Nita – who brought her own priorities on family life – as well as a much-discussed interest in fashion and luxury goods.

Finding his groove

Mukesh Ambani, one of the world’s richest men. Photo: @mukesh.ambaniii/Instagram

It was this encouragement that allowed Mukesh to discover the confidence to be his own man. It’s said that Dhirubhai made sure his children believed they could do anything they wanted to. So, when Mukesh took over part of the family business after his father died, he was ruthless in his approach, making strategic moves in the oil, gas, petrochemicals and manufacturing arms of the business. It is through Mukesh’s visionary business moves that the Ambani boss is now estimated to have a net worth of around US$76.5 billion.

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Family pressure fuelled him

Living up to the great Dhirubhai can’t be an easy task. As Mukesh navigated his way through the business world, he said it was his father who continued to inspire him, even after his death. The Reliance Industries boss said he feels his father’s presence in everything he does, explaining that the family business was Dhirubhai’s entire life and it is his goal to ensure that he continues building on that legacy.

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Business and family

Mukesh and Nita Ambani with two of their children, daughter Isha and son Anant. Photo: Instagram/@nitaambani9

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Taking a leaf out of his father’s book, Mukesh spent Sundays doing homework with his children, Akash, Isha and Anant, when they were in school. He said his dad taught him that making memories is critical and that after his dad’s passing, his memories and lessons are the only things the family can hold onto.

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Mukesh Ambani and family

Once shy, the Reliance Industries billionaire still insisted on a final veto on his marriage to Nita Ambani, and today is a respected global business voice who chats on Facebook Live with tech titan Mark Zuckerberg