Reports over the past month of the Ambani brothers ending their feud and junking their non-compete agreement prove that businessmen are ultimately practical people who will not allow egoistic considerations to get the better of them. Thus, the brothers have not only shown that blood is thicker than water but they have also proved that business is what really matters to them. We should, however, give credit to the woman who made this all possible.
Mother Kokilaben is the real star of this patch-up, which must surely rank as one of the greatest business stories of India. Not only did she broker the earlier agreement five years ago, which gave Anil Ambani a hefty chunk of the Dhirubhai legacy — which he could not really have secured through a legal battle — but she has now brought them together in a move that will see their business empires grow dramatically. Clearly, elder brother Mukesh has come out on top this time because he can now enter forbidden areas.
The report “Mukesh unveils 10-year plan to double enterprise value” (June 19) gives us the real story. Mukesh has announced that he will give gas to Anil’s beleaguered Dadri project but he has also announced plans for mega investments in power and telecommunications, which were no-go areas for Reliance Industries. And it appears the Ambanis are once again the darlings of the media and the establishment. But does Gita Piramal have to gush that “both are much more than your normal person”, (June 18)? We have a new lot of entrepreneurs who have shown imagination and grit and done India proud — without the advantages that the Ambanis enjoyed.
Sandhya Hiranandani, Mumbai
