How Mukesh Ambani was shaped by his dad Dhirubhai – now India’s richest man passes his father’s lessons on to his own kids Akash, Isha and Anant

He was shy, took a long time to make friends and had the weight of a powerful family legacy on his shoulders. This was Mukesh Ambani before he became one of the world’s richest people. Back in the day, Ambani was awkward in TV interviews, looking away from the camera and hesitating before answering questions. Now Ambani holds live chats with Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg in front of a global audience that hangs on his every word.

So, how did Mukesh evolve from a withdrawn young man to a confident global businessman and, most recently, a proud new grandfather figure? As it turns out, it was his father who had the biggest influence on him. We track the evolution of the most powerful Ambani family member …

Despite having wealth because of the powerful empire his father had begun to build in India, Mukesh says he grew up in an ordinary household and did not lead a spoilt life. Though busy, his dad made sure that no matter what, Sunday was devoted to his children. Mukesh has said that his father was a workhorse, but also made sure to bring out the best in his children, allowing them space to grow and encouraging them to dream big. He has tried hard to follow his father’s lead with his own children.

Mukesh used to be shy and withdrawn, but he made sure he had a voice when it came to important decisions. When he was looking for a life partner, he agreed that his parents be involved in helping him find somebody to marry, but on condition that he had the final say. This signalled a landmark coming-of-age moment for the Ambani son in cementing his ability to make decisions in his own life. It led him ultimately to marry Nita – who brought her own priorities on family life – as well as a much-discussed interest in fashion and luxury goods.