Who was MM Sharma, the teacher of Mukesh Ambani? Reliance chairman calls this man ‘The Guru of…:, he taught Mukesh Ambani to be…
Mukesh Ambani (File)
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Ltd, has pledged an unconditional grant of Rs 151 crore to the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, his alma mater.
Mukesh Ambani is a graduate of ICT from the 1970s. He was there for more than three hours at the institute, formerly known as the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT), on Friday. The occasion was for the release of the biography of Professor MM Sharma, titled Divine Scientist . Who Was MM Sharma?
Crediting the rise of the Indian chemical industry to Sharma's efforts, Ambani, in his speech, referred to him as 'a Rashtra Guru ─ a Guru of Bharat'.
Ambani reminisced how the first lecture he attended at UDCT by Professor Sharma motivated him and how Sharma later played the role of quiet architect of India's economic reforms. 'In the 80s, I used to call him a 'Bania Chemical Engineering Professor'—he taught us all to be Banias,' said Ambani.
Sharma impressed upon the policymakers that the only way for India to grow was to unshackle Indian industry from license-permit-raj, which would allow Indian players to build scale, reduce dependence on imports and compete globally.
'Like my father Dhirubhai Ambani, he had a burning desire to change Indian industry from scarcity to global leadership,' said Ambani, adding that 'these two bold visionaries believed that science and technology, in alliance with private entrepreneurship, would open the floodgates of prosperity'.
While speaking of 'Guru Dakshina', Ambani announced the unconditional grant of Rs 151 crore to ICT according to the instructions of Sharma.
'When he tells us something, we just listen. We don't think. He told me 'Mukesh you have to do something big for ICT, and I am very pleased to announce that for Prof Sharma,' Ambani said while referring to the grant.
(With Input From Agencies)
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