Kokilaben at the AGM in Mumbai on Wednesday. (AFP)

Mumbai, Aug. 3: Reliance’s annual general meets are usually billed as emotionally charged events. Today was a high point in their history as Anil Ambani, once life-time member on the Reliance board, appeared before shareholders as one of them.

Anil bid an emotional farewell to Reliance Industries, in which he will continue to hold a large stake. He sought guidance and advice from brother Mukesh for his new corporate entity ADAE, while expressing confidence that Reliance Industries will scale even greater heights under his brother’s leadership.

Mukesh looked apprehensive when his brother rose to speak. However, he softened when Anil turned emotional. Anil’s voice broke occasionally as he referred to a prepared text before him.

“I leave the organisation with a heavy heart and a deep abiding sense of personal loss. I will be one among you in my own individual capacity as a large shareholder of RIL,” Anil said.

Reciprocating his brother’s good wishes, Anil said: “I look forward to receiving from Mukesh his love, affection, guidance and advice. I hope I will receive it. I wish Mukesh great success. Under his outstanding leadership, RIL will continue to grow and flourish and scale even greater heights.”

Earlier, as Anil walked in, he was seated in the second row of the hall that is generally reserved for senior employees and shareholders who are slated to speak at the AGM. Mukesh, his wife Nita and mother Kokilaben came together.

Anand Jain, Mukesh’s close confidant, arrived minutes before the younger Ambani walked in.

In his speech, Mukesh referred to an unlocking of shareholder’s wealth, while Anil, much to the RIL board's embarrassment, referred to the times when the ownership differences came to the fore.

He said the message of his mother will be followed in unlocking value and none of the Reliance entities would compromise on fairness to shareholders in whatever form of restructuring. “This is a principle I advocated and the same has been imbibed by the RIL board.”

Mukesh referred to the shareholder wealth of RIL, which touched Rs 1,00,000 crore yesterday, and spoke of the appreciation in the value of shares from the time he took over as chairman.

Anil credited the entire success of RIL to his father Dhirubhai Ambani.

“True creator of Reliance is only Dhirubhai Ambani. I will not see anybody like him. For me RIL has been everything for 25 years. It was the centre of my universe, cradle of my corporate life and nursery of my learning,” he said.

He referred to the role played by his mother Kokilaben who had given birth to him twice ? on June 4, 1959 and again on June 18, 2005 (the day of the settlement).

Anil has worked actively for 25 years for RIL before parting ways with Mukesh last month.

“Life will never be the same again. But change is inevitable and part of karma,” Anil said. His speech lasted more than 10 minutes, well over the 3-to-5 minutes scheduled for shareholders.