Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited, celebrated the 25th anniversary of the flagship Jamnagar refinery with employees, stressing the important role of the city in the future growth of the company. Speaking in Jamnagar, Ambani announced that the city would be a platform of development not only for current workers but also for their children in the next few decades.
“Jamnagar is not only the best oil refinery in the world, but it also hosts the largest gigafactory, the largest solar energy project, and is now developing world-class artificial intelligence infrastructure. Additionally, a digital factory will also be established here,” Ambani said.
Ambani also highlighted the role of the city in nature conservation through Reliance Foundation’s Vantara initiative. Launched in February 2024, the Vantara program is dedicated to the rescue, treatment, care, and rehabilitation of injured and threatened animals both in India and abroad. Set across 3,000 acres within the Green Belt of the Jamnagar Refinery Complex, Vantara aims to become a key player in global conservation efforts.
Jamnagar’s refinery, which turned 25 years old on December 28, 2024, holds a special place in Reliance’s history. The refinery, which was the company’s first, has since transformed Jamnagar into the world’s refining hub and an engineering marvel. Despite initial skepticism, the refinery was completed in just 33 months, overcoming significant challenges, including the lack of basic infrastructure and a devastating cyclone.
Dhirubhai Ambani, the late founder of Reliance, defied expert advice that warned against investing in the arid region. The decision to build the refinery in Jamnagar, devoid of roads, electricity, and even drinking water, was seen as a bold move. However, Dhirubhai’s vision was to create more than just an industrial plant—it was to be a “Nandanwan,” or an ideal place. Between 1996 and 1999, his dedicated team managed to create an engineering marvel that today houses some of the world’s largest refinery units, including the Fluidised Catalytic Cracker (FCC), Coker, Alkylation, Paraxylene, Polypropylene, and Petcoke gasification plants.
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