Wharton School names auditorium after Dhirubhai Ambani

Mumbai: Wharton School has named a 300-seat auditorium after the late founder of Reliance Group Dhirubhai Ambani as a tribute to his business acumen and spirit of enterprise.
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The auditorium was dedicated at a special ceremony in Philadelphia on May 14 with a multi-million dollar gift from Anil Dhirubhai Ambani, chairman of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.

"I am a very proud wife and an even prouder Indian as we commemorate the life and legacy of one of the world''s greatest wealth creators of the modern era - my husband the late Dhirubhai Ambani," wife of late Dhirubhai Ambani, Kokilaben said on the occasion.

"We are honoured to have this outstanding opportunity to pay lasting tribute to Ambani and the companies he built, and the important role he played in India''s economic growth, Wharton Dean Patrick Harker said.

"He was a true pioneer in the development of the Indian economy, opening opportunity to thousands of his fellow citizens through his then-innovative public stock offerings. We are honoured to have this outstanding opportunity to pay lasting tribute to Mr. Ambani and the companies he built, and the important role he played in India''s economic growth, and we are grateful to his son Anil for choosing to remember him in this meaningful way," Harker said.

"We are deeply grateful for this outstanding gift (from Anil Ambani) and are proud to name this prominent facility for Dhirubhai Ambani," he said.

The auditorium would be in Jon M Huntsman Hall of the University of Pennsylvania.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania had awarded the Dean''s Medal to Dhirubhai Ambani in June 1998 for setting an outstanding example of leadership. He was the first Indian and the 24th globally to receive the honour then.

He was recognised for his work as founder-chairman of Reliance Industries and for his role in revolutionising the concept of shared investing in India and creation of wealth and value for millions of shareholders.