Gautam Adani- College Dropout To Billionaire Entrepreneur
Dreaming big is not everyone’s cup of tea. Making it a reality is another tough challenge. Gautam Adani as the name says is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Ahmedabad-based multinational conglomerate called ‘Adani Group’ involved in development and operations in India.
In search for a better future
Born in a Gujarati family in 1962, Gautam’s father was a textile merchant. After completion of schooling from Sheth Chimanlal Nagindas Vidyalaya School, he enrolled at Gujarat University and began his graduation from there in commerce. Soon after this, he realised that he wants something different and that patent academics is not meant for him. He dropped out of college shocking everyone in the second year and move to Mumbai in 1978, still as a teenager. It was his city of dreams but he holds just a hundred bucks in his pockets. His career began as a diamond sorter for Mahendra Brothers for the next 3 years in the city. While at this job, Adani who always wanted to dream big and accomplish it with his efforts, established his diamond brokerage firm at Zaveri Bazaar, the unrivalled diamond colony in Mumbai.
Stepping into success
Soon after this Gautam started to manage the business of his elder brother, Mansukhbhai Adani in 1981 who bought a plastics unit in Ahmedabad and put Gautam in charge of importing primary polymers business for small-scale industries in around the next 4 years. Finally, in 1988, Gautam Adani founded his dream company, Adani Exports Limited as the holding company of Adani Group. Currently, it is known to the world as Adani Enterprises Limited. Initially, it dealt with only agriculture and power operations and commodities but later business flourished and expanded to several other sectors such as resources, logistics, energy, aerospace, defence, etc. among others. Trading of core agro-based products along with textiles and metals exceeded the company’s fortune by many folds from around 1991. The Government of Ahmedabad soon granted him the contract for managerial outsourcing of the Mundra Port.
Hindrances to achieved growth
Witnessing tremendous growth, every person falls off. But very few can still manage to soar high even after falling. Gautam got involved in several political controversies. However, Gautam soon clarified this allegation in his interview with CNBC and cleared any negativity against Adani Group.
Overcoming stepping stones and creating mileage
Adani’s wife, Priti Adani was made the founder and managing trustee of the Adani Foundation. Gautam operated his first jetty by Mundra Port & Special Economic Zone in 1995. Adani Power Limited started getting established around 1996, another big achievement for a college dropout. It became the power business arm of the Adani Group and holds around 4620 MW thermal power plants. It is also the largest private thermal power producer in India.
From 2006, Adani never had to look back again. His power and agro-business took him to newer heights of stardom. The next span of 4 to 5 years found Gautam as the head of Abbot Point Port in Australia and Carmichael Coal in Queensland. Today, Gautam as per Forbes has a stake of 75% in Adani Transmission and the same in Adani Enterprises, a 66% stake in Adani Ports & SEZ Limited and a 73% stake in Adani Power. He has ranked as the 3rd most powerful person in India in 2019 by India Today.
Philanthropy
A person, who never forgets his roots, is the one who stays successful throughout. The Adani Foundation established in 1996 holds Gautam as its President today. It upholds certain valid issues of the Nation like sustainable livelihood and management, education, rural infrastructure and community Health. He always stated that apart from implementing productive business strategies for business growth, one must follow up with certain tricky and complex opportunities to be managed in our country. This includes tackling both policy-level challenges and infrastructure and infrastructure challenges.
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