From Dhirubhai to Akash Ambani: Reliance made stocks popular with Indians
· Business · Economic Times, LiveMint
Dhirubhai Ambani took Reliance Textile Industries public in 1977, raising about Rs 2.8 crore and attracting 58,000 shareholders, laying the foundation for India's retail equity culture. Nearly half a century later, Akash Ambani's Jio Platforms launched India's biggest-ever IPO, raising Rs 30,213 crore and achieving full subscription within two hours of opening. The scale of investor participation has transformed dramatically, but the Ambani family continues to position its businesses as accessible growth stories for ordinary Indians. Whether Jio can replicate Dhirubhai's mass-market legacy will depend on sustaining earnings growth beyond the debut issue.
Why it matters
The IPO demonstrates how Reliance has evolved from a textile manufacturer into a gatekeeper of India's digital economy, directly attracting tens of thousands of new retail investors. Retail shareholders and the broader Indian equity market are most affected by whether Jio can convert its telecom reach into long-term shareholder returns.
Read the original report — Economic Times
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