Who is Mukesh Ambani's childhood friend? Called Dhirubhai Ambani's 'third son', left his own firm to join Reliance, his son is...

Billionaires often have a close-knit circle that becomes more like their family than just acquaintances and friends. Though there is cut-throat competition in business, there are rare gems who bear strong friendship and reliability irrespective of wealth and fame. Here, we take a look at India’s richest businessman Mukesh Ambani’s best friend, and how he has helped him elevate Reliance Industries' global presence by serving various roles in the firm. He was also once ranked among the billionaires, positioning himself on the 11th rank on Forbes India's 40 Richest list in 2007. He is none other than Anand Jain.  

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has a massive net worth of over Rs 9 lakh crore. He is often credited to have built the empire of a company founded by his father Dhirubhai Ambani. To create an empire requires a village, and Ambanis have some really close associates who have been by their side for more than two decades, harbouring trust and mutual respect. While Manoj Modi is often considered Ambani’s right-hand man, Anand Jain holds a significant role in the billionaire businessman’s inner circle.

Anand Jain is much more, as he is often considered Dhirubhai’s third son, for his contribution to the empire. Anand Jain has stood by Mukesh through thick and thin, their friendship goes back to school as they studied together at Mumbai’s Hill Grange High School. Following Mukesh’s return from Stanford University in 1981, Anand already collaborated with his father and made a crucial decision to join Reliance Industries. 

Anand Jain, the Chairman of Jai Corp Limited, left behind his ventures in Delhi. He gained prominence in RIL in the mid-1980s when he crushed the once kingpin of the Bombay Stock Exchange, Manu Manek. He also served as vice-chairman of Reliance Capital and additionally served on its Petro Chemicals Ltd-arm. Anand was once a billionaire with a staggering net worth estimated to be approximately Rs 33,154 crore. However, in subsequent years, his net worth declined to Rs 4,351 crore by 2012. Anand has crucially impacted Reliance Industries' diverse ventures, particularly in real estate and capital markets. He worked as a strategic advisor to Mukesh navigating his complex transactions and providing vital expertise.

Meanwhile, Anand Jain takes care of Reliance's operations without drawing a salary, leveraging his expertise to guide the company. He’s a private person with a family, including his wife Sushma and children Neha and Harsh. Notably, his son Harsh co-founded Dream11, a popular fantasy sports platform.