Addressing students at IIM Lucknow, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani explained why he chose to take on Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, for redevelopment, a move many had warned him against.
“Everyone told me Dharavi is unmanageable. That’s exactly why I chose it,” Adani said, calling it one of the world’s most complex urban landscapes.
He emphasised that Dharavi isn’t just a real estate venture but a mission rooted in humanity. “It is much more than a brick-and-mortar project. Humanity lays the foundation stone for development,” he told the students, drawing loud applause.
‘You Don’t Need a Map, You Need a Compass’
Adani, India’s second-richest man, reflected on his early career and risk-taking mindset.
“Maps will only take you where someone has already been. But to build something where nobody has gone to, you don’t need a map but a compass.”
Recalling the early days of the Mundra Port project, Adani said he was laughed at by bankers when he sought funding. “They asked me, ‘How do you expect us to finance land that’s under water?’”
Today, Mundra is the nucleus of a 21-port network and a critical node in India’s infrastructure story.
From Diamond Trading to Building Empires
Sharing his entrepreneurial journey, Adani said he left home at 16 to join the diamond trade in Mumbai. By 19, he was back in Ahmedabad, helping his brother set up a factory.
Every chapter in his life, he said, taught him resilience and built the foundation for the business empire he commands today.
He also revealed that Adani Enterprises, now a behemoth, began as a trading company in 1994. “I made a massive bet to build India’s largest trading business — and it worked,” he said.
A Message to India’s Youth: Build the Future Here
In his closing message to the IIM students, Adani urged them to contribute to the nation's growth rather than seek opportunities abroad.
“India needs you. Work for India in India and grow with India. When the world asks where the future is being built, let your proud answer be, here in India,” Adani Said.
