Page 12 - Nita M Ambani

Eduleader

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What was the motivation behind the promotion of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in 2003?
Promoted in memory of my father-in-law, the Late Dhirubhai Ambani, DAIS is fulfilment of a long-cherished dream to
build a globally benchmarked K-12 school for the children of Mumbai. My objective was to build a happy school where
teaching is a pleasure and learning a joy! DAIS inspires our students to follow their hearts and pursue their dreams, and
develops the unique potential of every child to fulfil the objective of the school motto — “Dare to dream, and Learn to
excel”.

In 2010, you founded the Reliance Foundation. What are the objectives of the foundation and its prime focus areas?
The vision of the Reliance Foundation is to build an inclusive India by developing a model that addresses India’s multi-
faceted challenges, and contribute towards realisation of the country’s collective aspirations. Central to our philosophy
is commitment to enhance the quality of life of people from marginalised and vulnerable communities, by empowering
them through innovative and sustainable solutions.

Sports education is an important focus area of the Reliance Foundation and you are also the founder of Football
Sports Development Ltd (FSDL), which focuses on developing football in rural and urban India...
I have always believed that sport and education are the bedrock of any modern society, especially a young and develop-
ing society like ours. It is my dream to provide every child in India academic and sports education. Through FSDL our goal
is to make India a major football playing nation and take the beautiful game to every nook and corner of the country.

Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
The biggest influences in my life have been my husband Mukesh and my late father-in-law, Shri Dhirubhai Ambani. The
latter was the most charismatic and inspiring person I’ve ever known. He constantly encouraged me to think big in the
national interest and make positive impact. From him, I learnt that nothing is impossible if I pursue my dreams with hard
work and dedication. Through it all Mukesh has been my pillar of strength. He’s the most encouraging and motivating
influence in my life and always has an optimistic view on everything.

Your leadership style.
Time management is key. I try not to carry work home or discuss it at the dinner table as one meal a day with the family
is important. Also, I enjoy interacting with people, listening to them, and learning more about them.

In this connection, my father Shri Ravindrabhai Dalal’s gentle and compassionate interaction with all people greatly
influenced me since childhood. I am fortunate that our children have inherited this trait from me. Compassion is em-
bedded in our household culture and we believe in giving back to society. It is this firm belief and the support from
family that has enabled me go the extra mile to reach out to as many people as possible, especially women and children,
through the Reliance Foundation.

Your favourite book on education.
Divaswapna (Daydream) by Gijubhai Badheka. Bereft of education jargon, it is an inspiring tale of a school teacher who,
against severe odds, tries to make learning enjoyable for children. First published in Gujarati way back in 1932, this ever-
green book with an Indian soul, connects intuitively with my vision of children flowering in happy schools.

What are your future plans?
As mentioned earlier, my daughter Isha is leading development of a new school adjacent to the existing DAIS campus. It
is being designed as a future-ready institution with world-class facilities. Simultaneously, Reliance Industries & Reliance
Foundation are setting up the Jio Institute in Navi Mumbai. Acknowledged as an Institute of Eminence in the greenfield
category as notified by the government of India, Jio Institute is being shaped as a research university on a par with the
best worldwide with focus on academic excellence, industry relevance and social significance.

We are also establishing Asia’s largest international convention and exhibition facility — the Jio World Centre — fully
equipped to host traveling exhibitions in Mumbai. We are planning to expand our reach in this space by taking the best
Indian arts — performing and visual — to global audiences, and bring great art forms from around the world to India.