Wharton School names auditorium after Dhirubhai Ambani
15 May 2007
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.
.
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.