Dhirjalal Hirachand Ambani (28 December 1932 – 6 July 2002), popularly known as Dhirubhai Ambani, was an Indian businessman who founded Reliance Industries. Ambani launched Reliance in 1977 and was valued at US $ 2.9 billion after his death in 2002. In 2016, he was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor for his contributions to trade and industry.