| Personal Information Summary | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kokilaben Ambani (Also known as : Dhirubhai Ambani Wife / Mukesh Ambani Mother) |
| Mother / Mom | Rukshmaniben |
| Age / How old / Birthday / Date of Birth / DOB | Born in 1934. As of 2024, she is around 90 years old. |
| Wedding & Marriage / Husband / Spouse | Was married to Indian business stalwart Dhirubhai Ambani. Check the full bio for relationship details. |
| Does Kokilaben live with Anil Ambani? | As they settled into their newly-built home, their mother, Kokilaben, stayed with her son Anil Ambani and his family. |
| Children / No. of Kids | 4 |
| Ethnicity / Origin / Heritage / Race | Indian |
| Nationality | Indian |
Profile Information
Introduction :
- Kokilaben Ambani is the matriarch of the richest family in India and the widow of the late Indian business tycoon, Dhirubhai Ambani.
- Preferring to stay out of the limelight, she became well-known following her husband’s death when she was forced to settle a dispute over ownership of the family’s multi-billion corporate empire.
Personal Life, Parents and Family Details :
- Kokilaben was born in Jamnagar, India, in February of 1934. One of five children – two boys and three girls – she came from humble beginnings.
- Her father, Ratilal Jashraj Patel, was head of the post and telegraph office while her mother stayed at home with the kids.
- Kokilaben married Dhirubhai in 1955 and soon gave birth to four kids: sons, Mukesh and Anil; and daughters, Deepti and Nina.
- Before finding their wealth, the family lived in a small 2-bedroom apartment in a regular neighbourhood. Through her children, she has nine grandchildren, many of whom are now into the family business.
Early Life and Education :
- In the 1940s, Kokilaben attended the Sujaba Girls High School in Jamnagar. After RI started to take off, she learned English from a tutor who was brought into the home to teach her children.
- As was expected of her growing up, Kokilaben took care of all the household duties, including embroidery and sewing, as a child.
- When she found time, she enjoyed singing devotional songs and reading.
Income & Net Worth : The Reliance Story
- Although Kokilaben was not employed at Reliance, her husband made sure to keep her informed of what was happening in the company. Dhirubhai introduced her to dignitaries and made sure that she was present at special events related to the business.
- After Dhirubhai’s death in 2002, she became more involved with the business. Her husband did not leave a will, and Kokilaben was named as the natural inheritor under the Hindu Succession Act.
- The Reliance conglomerate was divided & the responsibilities were split among Dhirubhai’s sons, Mukesh and Anil. To Mukesh, was given control of the gas and oil, petrochemicals, and refining and manufacturing sectors; to Anil – electricity, telecommunications and financial sectors.
- Years later, in 2010 the no-compete clause that was written into the initial agreement between the brothers was scrapped. Previously prohibited, the new arrangement allowed the brothers to venture into each other’s areas of business.
Fun Facts, Height and Trivia :
- Despite her age, Kokilaben is well versed in modern technology; she regularly speaks to her grandkids via WhatsApp.
- At her 80th birthday party, the family had arranged for a hologram of Kokilaben’s late husband – complete with a digitized voice – to deliver a special birthday message to her.
- Her sons have attended prestigious schools – Mukesh attended Stanford University in California, while Anil attended the Wharton School of Business in Pennsylvania.
- Collectively, Forbes has declared Ambanis as the richest family in India named family. Individually, Mukesh was ranked #1, while Anil was ranked #45.
- Before his magnanimous success, husband Dhirubhai had moved to Mumbai with only a few thousand Indian rupees!
