Isha Ambani says a stalled college assignment over poor home internet led to Reliance Jio

Isha Ambani has recounted how Reliance Jio began. She was speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, held in connection with the upcoming IPO of Jio Platforms. Isha Ambani is a director of the company.

According to Isha Ambani, in 2009-10 she and her twin brother Akash Ambani had come home to Mumbai from the United States for a holiday. At the time, Isha had to submit an important assignment for her US college online. But the internet connection at home was not working properly, so the assignment could not be uploaded on time.

Such a problem may seem minor. But the episode raised a larger question about internet access and digital infrastructure in India. High-speed internet is easily available in developed countries, so why was the same experience not available in India? The discussion began in the Ambani family.

The experience did not merely lead to a wish to improve the internet at home. It also gave rise to the idea of bringing about a big change in India's digital sector. Akash Ambani looked at the problem differently. He held that setting up an ordinary telecom company would not narrow the country's digital divide, and that a capable digital technology platform had to be built in the country. The idea also won the backing of Mukesh Ambani. Preparations then began towards offering internet and digital services at affordable rates.

It took several years of planning and preparation to turn the idea into a business. Reliance Jio finally launched its commercial services in 2016. Free voice calling and low-priced high-speed data caused a major upheaval in the Indian telecom market.

After Jio's arrival, internet use grew, companies began competing sharply on data prices, and the use of digital services increased. This made a big difference both to the commercial structure of the Indian telecom sector and to the experience of consumers using the internet.

Jio Platforms, the digital company of the Reliance group, is now preparing to enter the capital market through an IPO. According to the information provided, the company's valuation is about Rs 10.3 lakh crore, or more than $123 billion. Applications for investment in the IPO are to open on October 21, 2026 and the process is to close on October 23, 2026.

An idea that began with an obstacle in a college assignment has grown into one of the biggest businesses in India's digital economy. The episode Isha Ambani described shows the inspiration behind the founding of Jio and Akash Ambani's vision for a digital platform.