Mukesh Ambani

Until my father brought me into Reliance, I was pretty sure that I wanted to study in a U.S. university: hopefully, a little bit of time, either work at the World Bank or teach as a professor.

The regulator's job is not to guarantee us a profit, however much we cry. The regulator's job is to first make sure that the country goes forward and then make sure that the consumer goes forward.

Profit or loss is not guaranteed. That depends on the consumer and depends on the product. That's a risk that business people take.

At Reliance, we have always believed in investing in the businesses of the future and in investing in talent.

Our established businesses of hydrocarbons, energy, and petrochemicals pretty much run on their own, with their own proven leaders. This has helped me focus almost exclusively on two things: Firstly, new businesses. And secondly, institutionalising what I call the Reliance Management System.

I am personally a big believer that technology is the biggest driver of human development, and if you can use technology to benefit people, then that's the best business you can have.

I believe, 50 years from now, when you write history, one technology that would have changed human civilization is going to be the mobile Internet.

My obsession is with technology and how it can improve human life. In my view, what we have seen in the last 300 years is only a trailer.

My big advantage was to have my father accept me as first-generation.

China and India will, separately and together, unleash an explosion of demand.

You have to manage money. Particularly with market economies. You may have a great product, but if your bottom line goes bust, then that's it.

I guess when you are left on your own, you find your true potential. I remember my father never came to our school even once.

I don't think that ambition should not be in the dictionary of entrepreneurs. But our ambition should be realistic. You have to realise that you can't do everything.

Digital life and digital services are a multi-wave business.

By that time - the early '70s - Vimal was a fairly successful textile brand. So everybody expected me to do textile engineering. I shocked them by saying that I would go to IIT.

All of us know that the energy from the sun can now be harnessed, and we need to convert it sensibly to use it.

Everybody has equal opportunity, and I think that is true for everything.

Why will I not give free service to my customers to get them used to mobile Internet, and to get every small town and village to use it? Everybody does promotions. In the internet world, free is normal.

For my father, life was uni-dimensional. Reliance was his life. Yet, some of my most vivid memories are about spending time with him. However busy he may have been, whatever the pressure, Sunday was for his wife and kids. I try to do the same with my family.

I am a big believer that whatever has gone lies in the past. You should only learn from it, and you should only look at the present and the future. That's been my father's philosophy and mine as well.