Editor’s Synopsis
- As India prepares to celebrate its 80th Independence Day, Mr Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group,
shares how trust, built over decades through values and actions, helped the infrastructure major navigate
one of the defining periods in its journey following the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New
York's (EDNY) decision on 10 August 2026 to dismiss the U.S. Department of Justice's (DoJ) criminal case
against him.
- Reflecting on the legal chapter, Mr Adani says the experience left him with humility rather than triumph,
strengthened his faith in the rule of law and deepened his gratitude to employees, partners and countless
well-wishers who stood by the Group through its most challenging period.
- Looking back on the Hindenburg allegations, the subsequent DoJ case and his own life experiences, Mr Adani
says adversity reveals character, while lasting confidence is earned by honouring commitments, respecting
due process and putting people first.
- Looking ahead to Viksit Bharat, Mr Adani calls on the over three-lakh Adani Parivar and its partners to
build institutions rooted in integrity, resilience and service to the nation that will outlast generations.
Ahmedabad, 12 August 2026: As India prepares to celebrate its 80th Independence Day, Mr Gautam
Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, used
the second edition of Apni Baat, Apno Ke Saath to reflect on the values that build enduring institutions, the
lessons adversity can teach and the responsibility every generation carries in shaping India's future.
Delivered days after the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), on 10 August 2026,
dismissed the U.S. Department of Justice's (DoJ) criminal case against him, the address looked beyond the legal
outcome to the principles that have guided the Group through one of the defining chapters in its history. Recalling
the Hindenburg Research allegations and the subsequent DoJ case, Mr Adani said the experience strengthened his faith
in the rule of law, deepened his humility and reaffirmed a conviction that has guided the Group for decades:
enduring confidence is earned by honouring commitments, standing by one's values and doing the right thing,
especially in difficult times.
Addressing an Adani Parivar spread across more than 700 locations and comprising over three lakh
employees and partners, Mr Adani said Independence Day was not only a celebration of India's
achievements but also an opportunity to reflect on the legacy the present generation would leave behind.
As the country advanced towards Viksit Bharat, he urged every employee and partner to ask a simple but
profound question: What will our generation be remembered for?
The address built on a conversation that began with the inaugural edition of Apni Baat, Apno Ke Saath on
International Labour Day, when Mr Adani spoke about the dignity of labour and the central role of people
in every institution. This time, he broadened the conversation to the principles that shape leadership,
strengthen organisations and endure across generations.
Those principles, he said, were first forged at home. Integrity, humility and honouring one's word became
the foundation of every important decision in his life. His father's belief that a promise must always
be kept and his mother's quiet example of sacrifice and compassion continue to guide him today.
Leaving home as a teenager in search of opportunity taught him lessons no classroom could offer.
Character, he reflected, is like an uncut diamond whose brilliance emerges only through perseverance,
experience and adversity. In many ways, he added, his own story mirrors that of countless members of the
Adani Parivar who left behind the familiarity of home to pursue opportunity, contribute to
nation-building and build a better future for their families.
Character Under Pressure
Drawing on the story of Samudra Manthan, Mr Adani observed that adversity does not define character; it reveals it.
The Hindenburg allegations and the subsequent DoJ proceedings became one such test. They did not alter the Group's
principles. Instead, they reinforced the importance of patience, faith in due process and remaining steadfast under
intense public scrutiny.
He cited the Group's decision to withdraw its ₹20,000 crore Follow-on Public Offer (FPO), despite being legally
entitled to proceed, as the clearest expression of that philosophy. "Trust is greater than any legal right," he
said, adding that while laws confer rights, values determine when those rights should be exercised.
For the Adani Group, success has never been measured solely by the infrastructure it builds. It is also measured by
the credibility it earns from employees, investors, lenders, partners and communities. That credibility, Mr Adani
said, is built quietly through the discipline of keeping one's word, day after day.
Conviction in Action
Throughout the legal proceedings in the United States, Mr Adani said the Group remained focused on execution,
respected the judicial process and continued delivering on its commitments. Even during one of the most closely
watched periods in its history, it recorded its strongest business performance, advanced landmark infrastructure
projects and strengthened its position across sectors.
The period also revealed the true strength of the Adani Parivar. While public attention remained fixed on the legal
proceedings, employees, workers, suppliers, contractors, vendors and partners quietly continued building businesses,
serving customers and delivering on their commitments. Their unwavering dedication helped turn one of the Group's
most challenging chapters into one of its strongest periods of growth.
Mr Adani said the experience also deepened his faith in humanity. Across the country, people he had never met came
forward with words of encouragement, prayers and quiet gestures of support. He also expressed gratitude to those who
questioned and criticised the Group, saying criticism, irrespective of intent, offers an opportunity for
introspection and improvement.
Mr Adani paid tribute to the people behind the Group's achievements, saying every milestone ultimately derives its
meaning from those whose dedication makes it possible. Recalling a conversation with Amit Kumar, a young engineer at
the Khavda Renewable Energy Park, Mr Adani said it reinforced his belief that development is measured not only by
world-class infrastructure, but also by the hope it inspires, the dignity it restores and the lives it transforms.
Returning to the significance of India's 80th Independence Day, Mr Adani said the occasion was both a celebration of
the nation's achievements and a reminder of the responsibility every generation carries.
Turning to the centenary of Independence, he said history would remember not only the infrastructure India built, but
also the opportunities it created, the communities it strengthened and the hope it inspired.
He concluded with a call to every member of the Adani Parivar and its partners to carry forward the lessons of the
past two years with humility, integrity and a renewed sense of purpose. The task ahead, he said, is not simply to
build world-class businesses, but to build institutions that outlast individuals, expand opportunity and help build
a stronger, more self-reliant India. Those institutions, guided by values and dedicated to service, will help
realise the shared vision of Viksit Bharat.
About the Adani Group
Headquartered in Ahmedabad, the Adani Group is India’s largest and fastest-growing portfolio of diversified
businesses. With interests across energy and utilities, transport and logistics (including ports, airports, marine
services, and rail), metals and materials, and consumer sectors, the Adani Group has established a leadership
position in the market. The Group’s success is driven by its core philosophy of ‘Nation Building’ and ‘Growth with
Goodness,’ focusing on sustainable development. Adani Group is committed to environmental stewardship and community
improvement through its CSR programs, which are grounded in the principles of sustainability, diversity, and shared
values.
For media queries: Roy Paul Roy.Paul@adani.com
