Athira Sethu
Kochi, 23 November 2024
Gautam Adani is one of the richest people in India and the world, who rose from very humble beginnings to head a $220 billion empire. Adani was born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. At a relatively young age, he dropped out of school and moved to Mumbai at 16. He began his career as a diamond sorter before returning to Gujarat to help his brother run a small factory. In 1988, he started a trading business, Adani Exports, which he floated in the stock market in 1994.
Adani had diversified the business empire into ports, energy, mining, infrastructure, cement, and real estate over years. Today, his company runs India’s biggest private port and the major airports and leads the pack in renewable energy. His journey was facilitated by aggressive expansion and investment, as well as navigating the challenges of business with a sharp mind. Adani’s businesses have attracted foreign investments and he is now India’s largest private sector power producer and the country’s largest airport operator.
Yet Adani’s journey has never been smooth. In 1998, he was kidnapped by dacoits and held for ransom for a day. Later ten years passed and he fell into the terrorist attack on the Taj Hotel in Mumbai. He was held hostage for hours inside and rescued later. These experiences have made him more resilient and more brilliant at surviving crises.
Although Adani is a successful businessman, controversy has surrounded his empire. The corruption and fraud cases against the Adani Group have led to charges against him by an US court recently and several of his associates on allegations of bribing Indian officials for favorable solar energy contracts. These charges may impact his international ambitions. To counter this, Adani has termed his allegations as baseless.
Apart from the legal issues, the businesses run by Adani are facing environmental protest driven by his coal mining project in Australia. Despite the challenges, his empire goes on growing.
The story of Adani is one of perseverance and building an empire above challenges. However, it is during the face of such extraordinary tests, including unprecedented legal scrutiny and public backlash, that his legacy would depend on getting through these hard times.
