On Reliance Industries Ltd's 40th anniversary (1977-2017), Chairman Mukesh Ambani said the company which owed all its progress to its founder Dhirubhai Ambani has the potential to be amongst the top 20 global companies in the world.
"Today, Reliance is a global leader in energy and materials, where operating safely is an obsession and with Jio and retail -- where we have established a leadership position in India -- we are customer obsessed," Ambani said during his address to employees on "Reliance family day".
"As we enter our golden decade, we at Reliance are in a unique position to accomplish what very few companies in the world can even dream of," he said before asking: "Can Reliance be amongst the top 20 companies in the world?" To which the gathering replied in a chorus, as Ambani said: "Yes we can, and yes we will."
His address was conveyed to employees and their families on social media. Over 50,000 people also attended the celebrations at the Reliance Corporate Park here.
Another 200,000 employees and their families joined the celebrations live via video conferencing in more than 1,000 locations across the country including manufacturing sites, retail stores and Jio points, according to company officials.
Further, Amabni said he believes that in the coming time the world will transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. He then asked the gathering:"Can Reliance become a leading provider of clean and affordable energy to India?... Yes we can, and yes we will."
The RIL Chairman also observed that the world will invent new materials which will revolutionise manufacturing and that Reliance can become a "leading global producer of these innovative new materials".
"Jio has the opportunity to digitally reinvent, with artificial intelligence and blockchain, all sectors of India's economy, whether it is entertainment, financial services, commerce, manufacturing, agriculture, education or healthcare," Ambani said and then asked: "Can Jio be the first company to transform an entire nation in each one of these sectors?" To which the gathering replied with Amabani as he said: "Yes we can, and yes we will."
"Reliance has an opportunity to be an even stronger partner to our nation. Can Reliance and Jio partner and empower all Indians... small businesses and enterprises, so that India can become a global superpower? Yes we can, and yes we will."
Before he laid-out the vision for RIL, Ambani had said: "Reliance is the creation of the vision of one individual -- my father, and our founder, Dhirubhai.
"My father is a timeless legend, an Indian icon and eternal inspiration to all Indians of all generations -- 'Kal, Aaj aur Kal'... We shall forever remain true to his vision, his ideals and his principles... On this happy occasion, I on behalf of everyone offer "koti koti pranam" and seek his blessings," he said.
"Friends, today let us also remember with gratitude all those who worked with Papa -- the great pioneers of Reliance... they often worked against impossible odds, they had very meagre resources than compared to what we have today but they never lacked ambition, passion, dedication, humility and also a burning desire and a dream to make Reliance the pride of India," he added.
Ambani said it is because of Dhirubhai Ambani that Reliance had grown from one employee to over 250,000; from a Rs 1,000 company to over Rs 6 lakh crore; from one city to 28,000 cities and towns, and over four lakh villages.
Congratulating her son Mukesh Ambani for his work, Kokilaben Ambani wished Reliance a long life: "Hazaar saal Reliance jio."
Daughter Isha Ambani said: "Dhirubhai Ambani was the father of all start-ups."
"Way back in 1977, when Dhirubhai was starting Reliance, he reached out to the common man of India and said: "'Profits will be yours. The loss, mine'. This is wisdom that no business school will ever teach us," she said.
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who knew Dhirubhai Ambani, started his speech with a couplet from his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan's famous poem "Madhushala".
About Dhirubhai Ambani, he said: "He was not the beneficiary of the wealth which was acquired by many during 1947. He had no such luxury. He was not the third or fourth generation businessman. He was the first generation that grew to be (among the top)".
Dhirubhai Ambani was driven by his own convictions and sentiments, he said, terming him "the individual who has only his conviction to trust upon".
He said Dhirubhai Ambani was not given any opportunities, "his dreams invented those opportunities," adding that "a phenomena called Dhirubhai Ambani could only have happened in India."
Another Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan played a game of Antakshari with participants from different cities via Jio's network. He also interacted with Nita Ambani, Akash Ambani, Isha Ambani and Anant Ambani.
The RFD -- with the tagline: 'A family that works together celebrates together' -- is part of a week-long series of activities across the country that will end on December 29 -- the 85th birth anniversary of Dhirubhai Ambani.
