Month: October 2019

Born to Shantilal and Shantaben Adani – who had migrated from the town of Tharad in the northern part of Gujarat – Gautam Adani has seven siblings. His father was a textile merchant.

Gautam Adani was keen on starting his own business, so after studying at Sheth Chimanlal Nagindas Vidyalaya in Ahmedabad he took admission for a BCom degree in Gujarat University, but dropped out after the second year, and instead of joining his father’s textile business, travelled to Mumbai in 1978 to work as a diamond sorter for Mahendra Brothers.

Learning the craft and the secrets of the trade, he wasted no time and after 2 to 3 years established his own diamond brokerage firm at Zaveri Bazaar, Mumbai. However, holding a white heat of desire in his heart to grow, succeed and do something even bigger, he joined his elder brother Mansukhbhai Adani in 1981 to manage the operations of a plastics unit in Ahmedabad, recently bought by Mansukhbhai. This venture turned out to be Gautam Adani’s gateway to global trading through polyvinyl chloride (PVC) imports. Growing rapidly, by 1985 Gautam Adani started importing primary polymers for small-scale industries. Success came naturally because of his consistent and ingenious efforts, and in 1988, he established Adani Exports Limited, which is currently known as Adani Enterprises Limited and which is the holding company of the Adani Group. Adani Exports started with exports of agricultural and power commodities, and as due to the economic liberalization in 1991 trading and exporting became favorable for his company, he diversified and expanded his businesses into trading of metals, textiles and agro products.

Then, it happened which catapulted Adani Group into unprecedented global success, recognition and respect. In 1993, the Government of Gujarat announced managerial outsourcing of the Mundra Port and in 1995, Gautam Adani bagged the contract. The same year, he set up the first jetty, and began port functions from the Mundra Port & Special Economic Zone; later shifting them to Adani Ports & SEZ Limited (APSEZ). Initially, Gautam Adani took approval from the Gujarat government to set up a harbor facility to handle its own cargo at Mundra Port; however, sensing the potential in the project, he decided to turn it into a commercial port, and built rail and road links to it by individually negotiating with more than 500 landowners across India.

Growing consistently, Adani Ports & SEZ Limited has become the largest private multi-port operator in India, and Mundra Port is the largest private sector port in India, with the capacity of handling close to 210 million tons of cargo per annum.

In the meantime, Gautam Adani focused on developing other verticals and in 1996 itself, founded Adani Power Limited – the power business arm of the Adani Group, and generated success in all verticals together. Holding thermal power plants with a capacity of 4620 MW, Adani Power Limited is the largest private thermal power producer of the country. It is also India’s largest closely held thermal coal producer and the largest coal trader.

Entering the power generation business in 2006, he acquired Carmichael Coal in Queensland and Abbot Point Port in Australia. In 2018, he completed the acquisition of the power business of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure in Mumbai. He has also entered the petrochemicals sector in a USD 2.6 billion joint venture with Germany’s BASF and has also won bids to run 6 domestic airports.

Peerless Entrepreneurial Vision

Rapidly succeeding as one of the fastest-growing professionally owned enterprises in India, while maintaining world-class quality standards and a customer-focused approach, Adani Group had reached a milestone of more than INR 250 billion by 2009 itself, in just two decades, and in the process, had also become one of India’s most trusted and diversified trading houses.

Known for quickly taking decisions and believing in fast growth, Gautam Adani asserts, “If you analyse a problem too much, you will never tap the opportunity”. Today, the Adani Group has diversified into more than 50 companies dealing in resources, logistics, energy, agriculture, defence, aerospace, real estate, ports, special economic zones, IT-enabled services and several more, while its core businesses include commodities trading, edible oil manufacturing, Mundra port operations and distribution of natural gas.

A special pattern visible in Adani Group’s expansion is the synergy among its business units with which they stay together and make each other more productive and competitive. The Group emphasizes on converting partnerships into winning relationships and is committed to satisfy its stakeholders by constantly delivering good returns. Ranked as the 4th most powerful person in India, his net worth is estimated to be around USD 11.6 billion as of July 2019.

He shares, “The macroeconomics of India have never looked stronger and our continued investment has been driven by our confidence that over the next two decades, India will easily be one of the Top 5 largest nations in the world fuelled by the demand of its own population and energised by the sheer potential of a young workforce unparalleled anywhere else in the world.”

Rewards & Recognitions

Gautam Adani has led the Adani Group to several prestigious national and international awards and honors for its corporate performance, and has bagged numerous awards himself for his professional commitment, entrepreneurial success and unique vision. Adani Group has received the Dun & Bradstreet – Rolta Corporate Award for outstanding performance in Trading, the Five Star Export House award, the FIEO’s Niryat Shree Gold Trophy, the ICSI award for Excellence in Corporate Governance, the GCCI Export Appreciation Award, the International Code for the Security of Ships and of Port Facilities (ISPS) for compliance by Ministry of Shipping Govt. of India, the SRTEPC award, etc. Its Mundra Port and SEZ has been awarded the Port
Authority Award by Lloyd’s List for the Best Port in Middle East and Indian subcontinent. Gautam Adani himself has been honoured with the Excellence in Management Award by Chief Minister of Gujarat.

Offering Back to the Society

Gautam Adani is the President of the Adani Foundation, and together with his wife Priti Adani, has been leading it passionately and ingeniously. Founded in 1996 as the corporate social responsibility arm of the Adani Group, it works in the spheres of education, community health, medical aid, rural infrastructure management & development, sustainable livelihood management and charitable initiatives not only in Gujarat, but also in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

The Foundation initially worked with a few rural communities around the Adani port at Mundra, and gradually developing a team of committed professionals who have been painstakingly planning and implementing developmental and growth programmes in rural communities, it has enabled holistic development of several communities it has worked with. The Foundation follows a participatory approach to ensure a sense of ownership for the services it provides and the community wealth it creates, and through institutional and individual grants for education and medical relief has brought about tangible changes in the lives of rural communities.

A STORY OF GROWTH

Armed with self-confidence and the support of some of his patrons, Mr. Reddy started Shathabdhi Townships way back in 2008 at Hyderabad. Ever since, he has achieved many milestones of success and set an example for others with entrepreneurial aspirations. Under his able leadership and supervision, the company has completed six projects including Suvidha, Magadha, Shathabhdi Valley and Sampada. The high standard of quality Mr. Reddy has maintained in each of these projects has not only attracted more buyers but also helped him earn the trust of his clients in a short span of time.

Another defining feature of Shathabdhi Townships is its success in always adhering to project completion timelines. Right from the identification of land to handing over the completed project, the company takes pride in providing 360-degree real estate solutions. A talented strategist, Mr. Reddy carefully oversees several aspects of planning and construction like the effective utilization of funds and efficient management of various teams in order to deliver quality projects.

A VISIONARY PAR EXCELLENCE

Mr. Reddy is a pioneer in conceiving and implementing modern real estate projects that are innovative in design and adhere to superior construction standards. He takes immense pride in fulfilling the dreams of many individuals through his affordable yet aesthetically designed residential housing projects.

With his innovative real estate offerings, unparalleled professionalism and unwavering focus on quality, Mr. Reddy has carved a distinct identity for himself and his company in the highly competitive real estate sector. He leaves no stone unturned in making each project a centrepiece in its category.

By following the best practices, Shathabdhi Townships works towards maximizing value for all its stakeholders. Its ISO 9001-2015 certification reveals the company’s emphasis on quality management, which in turn reflects a deeper commitment to its clients.

HALLMARK OF QUALITY

After demonstrating his capability in leading Shathabdhi Townships to become a prominent developer of highend residential projects, Mr. Reddy has now forayed into low-cost and affordable housing.

Mr. Reddy has also been credited with introducing quality checks into every aspect of the project, be it the procurement process, HR practices, sales and marketing or customer relations. He has been instrumental in redefining the core business processes together with promoting a disciplined work culture as well as planning and utilizing stateof-the-art technology to create the best living solutions for his clients.

Through his operational brilliance and strong project execution skills, Mr. Reddy has boosted the financial health of Shathabdhi Townships. By developing advanced and better residential ecosystems that exert a pull on homebuyers, the firm continues to address the growing need for sustainable infrastructure development. Its mantra of creating affordable and quality housing solutions through sustainable means has propelled it towards success. With an eye on the future, Mr. Reddy works towards providing verdant and modern townships to ensure a safe, active, and comfortable living for all his clients. He plans to achieve this by prioritizing needs over trends, quality over quantity and more importantly, people over profit margins.

Till a few decades ago, not many women joined the legal profession. Those who did had to claw their ways to success and it is still true to some extent. Though, the situation has improved over the years, law is still considered a male-dominated profession.

A Towering Personality

Against all odds, Ms. Prasad, being a powerhouse of confidence and optimism, has become a predominant name in the legal profession. Apart from being a prominent lawyer and mediator, she is also a successful entrepreneur running one of India’s most eminent law firms. For the past two decades, her passion for righteous justice has been the biggest factor for her steady rise in the legal field.

Glorious Achievements

When Ms. Prasad started her journey, she did not have a huge backing or much support on her side. But, these hurdles and criticism amplified her desire to succeed as a lawyer. Fervour coupled with hard work made her dreams possible and helped position her as one of the celebrated experts of her field. She practices in the Supreme Court of India, Indian High Courts, Districts Courts and other Judicial Forums and Tribunals and also plays her part in the Royal Court of London (UK) and Wolverhampton Court (Sydney, Australia). With a mediation degree from a reputed US-based institute, she is adept in arbitration and dispute resolution and is one of the best mediators in the country. As a founder of a rapidly growing law form – C & V Associates – and a member of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), she also has an excellent reputation among the NRIs.

Disciplinary Teamwork

Under Ms. Prasad’s guidance, C & V Associates makes strides efficiently and with strong attributes like teamwork, attention to details, and client-centric approach. She readily connects with the clients and gains a deep understanding of the clients’ business to offer practical solutions and advice to any predicament. As a mentor and a companion, she values the input of her team members and encourages them to work independently, holding their hand only when required. Ms. Prasad is a perpetual source of positivity and enthusiasm in the work environment. She considers her team as a second family and doesn’t hesitate to extend her support.

A Champion of Women’s Rights

Ms. Prasad takes up women’s issues with great passion. The cause of women empowerment is very close to her heart and through Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) and the Bar Council of Delhi, she is actively involved in providing education regarding women’s rights. She specialises in dealing with matrimonial disputes and also battles against social issues such as dowry disputes, domestic violence and gender discrimination. She believes mediation and arbitration are good routes to resolve marital issues in a fair manner. She also provides legal assistance to the destitute women and mentors her team to handle CSR cases as well.

She is at times more than a lawyer for her clients and she becomes a friend and a guide for a client who is emotionally disturbed. She provides mental strength to them and helps them gain confidence. Not only a stalwart in her profession, but she is also an amazing role model. Breaking the social stereotypes imposed on a woman’s career choices, Ms. Prasad has proved to be a leader with an outstanding ability to bring new ideas of litigation strategy and business practices to the fore and transform the workings of the industry.

She envisions a world where women are provided with equal opportunities to chase their dreams. A champion of women’s rights, she is consistently working hard to empower women around her.