ACK-E-861 ACK The Ambuja Story

The Ambuja Story : Cementing A Legacy

Born into a cotton trading family, Narotam Sekhsaria had a singular dream: to become an industrialist. As a brilliant student and resourceful businessman, he turned this dream into reality. In 1982, Narotam founded Gujarat Ambuja Cement with the support of the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIIC). 

While the company quickly achieved significant profits, Narotam aimed even higher. He focused on making Ambuja Cement technologically advanced, environmentally friendly, and deeply rooted in ethical and humanitarian values. Ambuja became a trailblazer in the Indian cement industry, pioneering practices such as community outreach, consumer feedback, and customer education. For decades, in India, cement has been synonymous with the name Ambuja. This is the story of the "viraat" values behind Ambuja's "viraat" strength.

Research and Script Vijita Mukherjee The comic is based on the book 'The Ambuja Story' by Narotam Sekhsaria.

'I had never seen a cement plant in my life. I had no idea about limestone deposits or the cement industry in Gujarat. And I had never negotiated an industrial agreement. Yet, in the next few weeks, I would need to be ready for a substantive meeting with Gujarat government officials.'

The year was 1983. A cotton trader, still in his early thirties, began to dream big. His aspiration was to become an 'industrialist'. The venture he was about to embark on was uncharted territory for him. He knew nothing about cement, limestone or anything remotely associated with it. In the era of Licence Raj, where everything from production to consumption was controlled by the government, Narotam Sekhsaria saw the huge potential in cement and its role in a growing nation. Trusting his instinct, he started Ambuja Cement and went on to create one of the most successful cement companies in the world.

Told by the man himself, The Ambuja Story is a tale of grit, determination, honesty and integrity. For a cement company, it's a unique case study that broke many stereotypes, such as cement production can't be an environmental friendly activity, good cement can't be cheaper and it's difficult to market a product as boring as cement.

Narotam Sekhsaria's vision for Ambuja wasn't just limited to financial success; he undertook community development around all Ambuja plants to a whole new level. Ambuja's work in women empowerment, skill development, health and education created new benchmarks for the industry long before corporate social responsibility became mandatory in India.

The Ambuja Story provides a new perspective on business and life, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs to scale greater heights.

• Title : The Ambuja Story : Cementing A Legacy
• Volume/Serial : 861
• Total Pages : 36
• Script : English
• First Published : May 2024
• Publisher : Amar Chitra Kath