By Parimal Nathwani

The humility and grace with which Mr. Mukesh Ambani conducted himself as the bride’s father during marriage of Isha Ambani became talk of the town, in media and social media. Despite being one of the richest men in the world, he was as humble as a common man would be. The sublime Indianness shown by the Ambanis is nothing but what they inherited from Dhirubhai Ambani. Dhirubhai, despite his world class achievements and success, was an Indian head to toe and firmly rooted in the soil of the country.

At a time when Dhirubhai returned from the then Aden (Yemen), it was easier to translocate to African countries falling under the British Colonies . Many Indians migrated to one of these African countries and got British citizenship and settled in UK eventually. It was easier for Dhirubhai to do the same. However, he returned to India and started from scratch. Such was his obsession for his motherland.

Dhirubhai’s every step would be for betterment of the economy of his country. He used to keep himself updated about global economic and business trends and used that information to strengthen his business and the Indian economy. He wanted to maximise the number of his stakeholders and generate prosperity in the society. He created wealth and value in the economic, industrial and social systems.

Dhirubhai Ambani practiced CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) much before the term had a great vogue. He believed that traditionally philanthropy and charity have been in genes of India from the times of our erstwhile princely rulers, ancestors and Mahajans. Everyone tends to contribute his/her mite to the best of one’s ability and capability to society.

In Jamnagar, Dhirubhai Ambani started CSR work much before any production started. It is perhaps for the first time in the history of Indian industry that an industrialist began CSR with no ROI in sight! He started providing fodder for cowsheds in the villages surrounding the refinery complex. Isn’t it amazing that an industrialist builds cow-sheds and takes responsibility of providing fodder to cattle for life time! Only Dhirubhai could do this. He supplied drinking water for huge civil consumption from the desalination plant meant to supply process water! He used to organise community lunch or dinner for the villagers and was fond of folklores. He used to enjoy such cultural events till late night. This is sublimity in Indianness, indeed!

Dhirubhai would bring foreign technology and process plants but prefer manufacturing in the country. He used to say: What is good for India is good for Reliance. This is why when Indian celebrities nowadays are crazy about foreign wedding destinations, Mr. Mukesh Ambani celebrated the marriage of his daughter in India in grand manner but with typical Indianness. This is legacy of Dhirubhai Ambani; the legacy of sublime Indianness!

Offering wedding invitations to deities first at the famous pilgrim centres; beginning auspicious wedding by providing meals for five thousand senior citizens and children students of Narayan Seva Sansthan; host Mr. Mukesh Ambani and Mrs. Nita Ambani themselves serving food to them with grace; performing mass worship and chanting Jay Jagdish Hare at aarti and what not! It was height of Indian tradition and culture when the richest Asian Mr. Mukesh Ambani, as bride’s father pleaded forgiveness with folded hands for any short comings! This is Sanskara of Kokilaben and Dhirubhai Ambani. After all this is true Indianness – fir bhi dil hai Hindustani!

(Shri Parimal Nathwani is Group President of Corporate Affairs at Reliance Industries Ltd and Member of Rajya Sabha.)

– DeshGujarat