Search the Internet          Tips  Sites: Finance, Investment

Dhirubhai Ambani cremated

The mortal remains of Reliance Industries patriarch Dhirubhai Ambani were consigned to flames at the Chandanwadi crematorium in South Mumbai on Sunday evening.

The funeral pyre was lit by his elder son Mukesh, the vice-chairman of Reliance Industries Limited, and younger son Anil, managing director, RIL, to the accompaniment of Vedic chants and shlokas.

Dhirubhai's flower-bedecked body was brought in a truck to the crematorium. Hundreds of people, including politicians, industry chieftains and celebrities, joined the procession, which passed through S K Patil Udyan, Maharshi Karve Road, Oppn Marine Lines Station.

Earlier, thousands had gathered at Sea Wind, the Ambanis' residence, to pay homage to the man hailed as a visionary and the scion of Indian equity culture. Battling the sweltering heat and Sunday morning lassitude, they paid homage to Ambani. From the Breach Candy Hospital in Southern Mumbai where he passed away on Saturday night, Ambani's body was brought to his 18-storey residence, Sea Wind, by around 0830 IST.

Despite Ambani's sudden death last night, Reliance officials and relatives chipped in to make arrangements for the thousands of visitors that were expected through the day.

A giant white tent was put up at the entrance to the building and a separate enclosure created for mediapersons, some of whom had flown from Delhi, to cover the funeral. Life size photographs of Dhirubhai Ambani greeted those who walked through the iron gates of Sea Wind, which at other times remain firmly out of bounds for visitors.

Dressed in white, the who's who of the business community turned up early in the morning, queuing for a last glimpse of the man who in many ways rewrote corporate history. The crowd was an eclectic mix. At one end of the spectrum it had business tycoons like Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata group and Adi Godrej, the head of the Godrej group of industries; and at the other were those who have fallen from public grace like P S Subramanhyam, former chairman of UTI and stock broker Ketan Parekh.

Ambani's body was placed on a flower-decked platform in the foyer of his residence, Sea Wind and his two sons, Mukesh and Anil stood by it. A sobbing Mukesh hugged close friends who had come to offer their condolences, even as a gaunt, visibly shaken Anil stood with his hands folded greeting visitors filing past.

Among others who came to pay their last respects were Maharashtra Governor P C Alexander, Chief Minister Vilas Deshmukh, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, industrialists Ratan Tata, Rahul Bajaj and Adi Godrej, members of Parliament Murli Deora, Praful Patel, Shabana Azmi, Mohan Rawale, film star Amitabh, Bachchan and family friends.

Vijay Goel, Minister of State in the PMO, placed a wreath on the body on behalf of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. R K Dhawan, who was representing Congress president Sonia Gandhi, also paid homage to the departed soul.

Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, who cut short his Gujarat trip to visit the Ambani residence, said the Reliance chief was an embodiment of initiative, enterprise and determination. He was one of the greatest achievers in the country and would remain an inspiration for others.

But what truly set the funeral apart was the way small investors, came to pay their homage. Like Thobanbhai Lodhia, a Calicut-based businessman who retails dry coconut and ginger. Lodhia had invested Rs 5000 in Reliance shares nearly 10 years ago.

"My principal itself has appreciated so much. Not to mention the regular dividends I received through the years. Whenever I attended the annual general meetings of Reliance, Dhirubhai used to tell me, 'It is not my company. It is your company.' That is the kind of commitment he had towards small investors like me," Lodhia says.

Lodhia had come to Mumbai three days ago on a business trip but when he heard about Ambani's demise he rushed first to the Breach Candy hospital and then to Sea Wind, wherein he stayed the whole day watching the proceedings, breaking down whenever someone asked him about his association with the Ambanis.

At Sea Wind, there were hundreds of investors like Lodhia. And old friends like Chandrakant Pathak. A childhood friend of Natubhai, Dhirubhai's younger brother, Pathak had come from Chorwad, the village in Gujarat where Ambani was born.

"Dhirubhai was a visionary in the true sense. He was destined for greatness. He managed to achieve what most people cannot even dream about. But he never lost his humility. He was a very humble man who never forgot his roots," says Pathak.

Through the afternoon the crowds milled around Sea Wind, giving security personnel a tough time. They were not entirely thronging for Dhirubhai's funeral. Many were visitors who stood to gawk at the steady stream of celebrities that poured in.

For instance, the appearance of Bollywood heartthrob, Hritik Roshan and his wife Suzanne, created a minor fracas as the crowds outside tried to mob the star. As the police pushed back eager fans, Roshan stood calmly waiting for his car to pull up and darted it as soon as it did.

Urchins and at times, befuddled gypsies too walked in, many of whom confessed that they had come only attracted by the spectacle of the giant tents, the garlands of lilies and the police vigil promised. They were not disappointed.

They knew Ambani because of his association with Tina Munim, a former Bollywood actress who later on married Anil Ambani.

"He is Tina Munim's father-in-law. We also heard he is a very big man... a very big businessman. They have such a huge building. We wanted to see what kind of people they are and we were surprised that they even let us in," said a lady from the troupe of gypsies who had walked in.

By around 1530 IST, the gates of Sea Wind were closed again to prepare for the funeral cavalcade to the Chandanwadi crematorium. The procession finally arrived at the crematorium over an hour late, crawling its way through the thousands who had lined along the streets to watch the procession.

Ambani's body lay in a white truck, decorated with lilies, wreaths and white roses. His two sons, Anil and Mukesh stood on either side, with their hands folded acknowledging the slogans of 'Dhirubhai Amar Rahe' that rented the air.

A short distance away from the crematorium, his body was laid on a cane stretcher and carried by his sons and other relatives. Despite, the arrangements made by the police and the battalion of over fifty officers that were posted on the street, the crowds surged forward. At a stage, they blocked the entrance to the crematorium, almost throwing the pallbearers off balance.

Repeated pleas over a public address system failed to control the crowds, which also mobbed film stars like Dilip Kumar who wanted to attend the cremation.

But as the funeral chants came to an end, the crowds dispersed, melting away as quickly as it had gathered, leaving behind distraught family members, a handful of Reliance officials and a street full of policemen.

In the next two days, the Ambani family will hold two prayers meetings. On Monday, July 8, a prayer meeting for business associates will be held between 5 pm and 7 pm. For relatives and community members, there would be a meeting on July 9 during the same time.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Textile Merchants' Mahajan said the Mulji Jetha market, the city's largest textile market, would remain closed on Monday in memory of Ambani.

ALSO READ:
Dhirubhai Ambani: End of an era
More Money Headlines