Tears of joy for Mukesh Ambani

Mumbai: Mukesh Ambani fought back tears as his three children took the stage at the stock market listing of Jio Platforms Ltd, the digital and technology business he built into a national connectivity giant, in an emotional moment that offered a glimpse of the next generation preparing to carry forward one of India's biggest corporate empires.

The 69-year-old billionaire watched from the National Stock Exchange alongside his wife Nita Ambani, as Akash, Isha and Anant Ambani paid tribute to their father and grandfather Dhirubhai Ambani, and pledged to build on the family's legacy.

He repeatedly wiped tears from his eyes as his children spoke of the sacrifices, ambitions and responsibilities underpinning Jio's journey.

For much of the run-up to the initial public offering, Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd, had kept a relatively low profile at investor roadshows and meetings, leaving his eldest son Akash to take the lead. At Wednesday's listing ceremony, he again ceded the spotlight to the next generation.

Yet his imprint was unmistakable. The IPO represents the culmination of a decade-long effort to build a digital platform on a scale that has reshaped India's telecommunications market and diversified Reliance beyond its traditional oil-refining and energy businesses.

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The Hans India