Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries today announced an unconditional grant of Rs 151 crore to the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, from where he graduated in the 1970s. Mr Ambani spent over three hours today at ICT – which back then was called the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) – at the function to publish Professor MM Sharma’s biography titled ‘Divine Scientist’.

Mr Ambani reminisced how the first lecture he attended at UDCT by Professor Sharma motivated him and how Prof. Sharma later played a role of quiet architect of India’s economic reforms. Prof. Sharma impressed upon the policymakers that the only way for India to grow was to unshackle Indian industry from license-permit-raj which will 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 Mr Ambani and added “These two bold visionaries believed that science and technology, in alliance with private entrepreneurship, would open the floodgates of prosperity.”

Crediting the rise of Indian chemical industry to Prof Sharma’s efforts, Mr Ambani in his speech referred him as ‘a Rashtra Guru ─ a Guru of Bharat’.

When speaking of ‘Guru Dakshina’, Mr Ambani announced the unconditional grant of Rs 151 crore to ICT according to the instructions of Prof. 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,” Mr Ambani said while referring to the grant.