We are doing this on the important and sacred occasion of May 1st, World Labour Day. I believe that life is a continuous journey of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, where we learn from the past, understand the present, and shape the future. The development journey of the Adani Group has also been based on this thought. Every experience, every decision, and every achievement is a shared part of ours. As a family, it is necessary that we share these learnings and thoughts openly, so that together we can make our business, our people, and all stakeholders more capable and empowered for the future. 'Apni Baat Apnon Ke Saath' is an effort of this very sentiment, where through dialogue from time to time, we will make our journey transparent, empowered, meaningful, and participative.
Today is our day. It is everyone's day. Every person who is a hard worker, today is their day. Every person whose faith is in hard work, who understands the strength of their sweat, who does not run away from difficulties but knows how to engage with them, today is their day. Those who have courage, have the spirit to achieve something, today is their day. That is why this day is my day, your day, and everyone's day. Today is World Labour Day. Today is World Workers' Day. This is not just a date, but a celebration of the spirit that gives a person the strength to realize their dreams.
And friends, for me, this day is very special for another reason as well. On May 1, 1986, exactly 40 years ago today, I was bound in the sacred bond of marriage with Priti and started a new journey of life with the most important person in my life. And what could have been a better start to today than visiting the sacred Kedarnath Dham this morning with my wife Priti and having the good fortune of seeking the blessings of Mahadev. There, we prayed together that God gave me the opportunity to be born in this great country, India, and to serve this country. I received the affection and trust of all of you, and for this, we are grateful to him. Today, we also prayed that our country continues to progress and prosper, and that all of your lives remain filled with happiness, peace, and health. And there, we also took a resolve that together, with new enthusiasm and new energy, we will work for an even greater purpose.
We are standing in a period that is extraordinarily important. After a long period of slavery, our country became independent in 1947. Today, it has been almost 80 years since that independence, and today, through our hard work and valor, we are standing at a point where the world is looking towards India with hope. This is a time when our every effort is not limited to just personal or institutional levels, but becomes of national importance. The honorable Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Bhai Modi, has taken the resolve to make India a developed nation by 2047, trusting in the youth power, energy, and potential of India. But this resolve will not be fulfilled by the efforts of any one person, any one institution, or any one government. For this, 140 crore countrymen will have to engage with full dedication, full energy, and full commitment. The Adani Group is also a part of this country. That is why it is not just our opportunity but our responsibility to contribute to the journey of making this nation developed.
Some people might think that in such a large country, with such a vast population, what difference will my individual contribution make? What will happen if I do nothing? In the context of this thought, I want to share a story with you. We all know an episode from the Ramayana. When the entire Vanar Sena reached the seashore under the leadership of Lord Ram and the work of building a bridge to Lanka began, big monkeys and bears were lifting huge stones and throwing them into the sea. At that time, Lord Ram and Lakshman came to see the work. They saw a small squirrel repeatedly going into the sea, rolling in the sand, and then putting that sand into the bridge. She was doing this work again and again. When she was asked, 'What are you doing?' she replied with full confidence, 'I am also making my contribution.' When she was told that what difference would her small particles make in front of such big stones, her answer was very profound. 'The big thing is not how much difference my grains of sand will make. The big thing is that when history is written, it should not be said that I did not make my contribution.' Friends, this is the same spirit that should be within all of us. It is not important how big or small your contribution is. It is important whether you made your contribution or not. When we go to work, we should not think that we are just doing a job. We have to understand that our every work is connected to nation-building. When we complete a project, we are not just doing a job. We are shaping the future of the country.
If you want to understand this, look at Mundra. There was a time when there was nothing there. There was sand, there was empty land. Today, that same Mundra has become India's largest port, giving momentum to the country's trade and connecting India to the world. Similarly, the Vizhinjam port in Kerala will give India a new identity on the global maritime map and take us forward in the direction of becoming a strong transshipment hub. And in Kutch, Khavda, where we are building one of the world's largest green energy projects, is laying the foundation for a safe and clean future for coming generations. And now, the Navi Mumbai Airport, this is not just an airport. It is the pride of our country. It is one of the best airports in the world. It will give a new dimension to India's aviation capacity, increase connectivity, and open new opportunities for millions of people. This is not just an airport. It is a symbol of India's growing strength and capability.
In this sequence, you all know that recently, the honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Bhai Modi ji inaugurated a historic project like the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh. This expressway is not just a road connecting 12 districts and more than 500 villages. Rather, like the sacred stream of Mother Ganga, it is a powerful medium connecting people's lives. Just as Mother Ganga has been nourishing our faith and culture for centuries, similarly, this expressway will become a new stream of development and bring a change in the lives of more than 8 crore people. The journey from Meerut to Prayagraj, which used to take 10-11 hours, will now be completed in 5-6 hours. The strength of the Ganga Expressway is such that, if needed, fighter jets can also land on it. This is a symbol of the strength and confidence of a new India. Mother Ganga is our faith, and the Ganga Expressway is a strong bridge connecting that faith with development, which will not only give new momentum to the progress of Uttar Pradesh but of the entire country.
But friends, the Adani Group has taken another resolve which is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks of my life and is closest to my heart. The redevelopment of Dharavi. This is not just a project. This is perhaps the world's largest and most challenging effort of human transformation. I have taken this responsibility with full understanding. Of course, there are many challenges in it. We did not take this decision for profit. We have taken this responsibility because Dharavi has somewhere been a symbol of our collective failure. The hard work of the people there, their strength to move forward, their power to struggle has always been inspiring. But as a society, we could not give them the life they deserved. I want to change this situation. That is why I accepted the challenge of Dharavi. All these projects that I have mentioned are a small contribution of the Adani Group to nation-building with pride and satisfaction, and all of you are the real foundation of that achievement. In this purpose, I salute your labor power and bow to all of you.
There was a time when I set out for Mundra with just 20 people. We used to leave Ahmedabad at 4:00 AM, reach Mundra, and then stay there for the whole week to oversee the work. At that time, there used to be 300 to 400 people on site. I used to know almost every colleague by name, by work, and by their nature. Who came from where, who is an expert in what work, I used to know all this. Today, more than 4 lakh people work with the Adani Group every day. Seeing this, there is pride and happiness. But one thing always remains in my mind that despite my wish, I cannot remember the name of every colleague. But I want to say one thing to you from my heart. Even if I cannot remember every name, the relationship in my heart with you is still the same as it was before. The size of the institution has changed, but its values have not changed. My thought has always been that the Adani Group should not just be a place to do a job, but a platform where a hard-working person can move forward step by step. Where a person with a simple start can also reach the summit one day.
When we started in Mundra, I had never thought that this caravan would become so big. In such times, I always remember these lines: 'Main akela hi chala tha jaanib-e-manzil magar, log saath aate gaye aur karwa banta gaya.' (I had set out alone towards the destination, but people kept joining, and a caravan was formed.) Today, this caravan has become of more than 4 lakh participants. In the first 35 years, we together built assets worth about ₹1 lakh crore, and today the situation is that we are going to add new assets worth ₹1 lakh crore in just this one year. This is not just a number. This is the result of your hard work.
In the last few months, I visited different sites. By plane, helicopter, and road, I traveled more than 1 lakh kilometers. I met thousands of participants. After these meetings, one thing became absolutely clear in my mind. If we have to maintain our pace and make the future stronger, then we have to move forward with full resolve on some basic things. Based on those experiences, we have started working on three big changes, three big transformations, which have three pillars. The first pillar is the Three-Layer Model. As the institution grows, decisions start to slow down. And it takes time for something to reach from one level to another. We do not want this to happen. The purpose of the Three-Layer Model is to make the organization more agile, so that responsibilities are clear and decisions can be taken quickly. When layers are less, decisions are fast. The pace of work increases, and a new energy comes into the entire organization. In today's world, the difference is often not of capability but of speed. We want the decision that takes 3 days on site to be made in 3 hours. And it has another big advantage: when the organization is flat, young participants get opportunities quickly. We have many young engineers, supervisors, and managers. They have energy, new ideas. It is our responsibility to give them a chance to learn quickly, to move forward quickly, and to take responsibility.
The second pillar is the Partnership Model. Today, the real strength of the Adani Group is our people. Our employees and our partners, both are complementary to each other. One is incomplete without the other. Our employees give direction to the work. And our partners, contractors, suppliers, vendors, implement that work on the ground. They give it momentum. But as we expanded our work, a challenge emerged. Today, on many sites, more than 100 contractors are working together. To coordinate so many people, a separate system has to be created. It takes time. Layers increase, and decisions become slow. We want to change this. Our effort is to work with some strong and capable partners who can take the responsibility of the entire work and complete it in a better, faster, and more effective way. This will make coordination easier, layers will be less, responsibilities will be clear, and the pace of work will increase. But the Partnership Model is not just about changing the structure. This change is of thinking. This change is of culture. This is our commitment that we will stand with our partner from beginning to end. Making them successful is our responsibility.
I remember the story of one of our partners, Atu Bhai Rabari. He used to come from Vad village near our plant. Earlier, his family and the entire village's traditional work was herding camels and selling milk. Around 2008, when our Adani Power Plant was under construction, the thinking of the people in the village was limited to doing small jobs near the plant. But in 2016, during our solar project, Atu took a step forward. We gave him a contract to supply water. He started with a loan for an old water tanker. Gradually, he understood his work, completed it on time, and built confidence in himself. Today, his company has become a strong business. He has many Hydra machines, large cranes, and other equipment. He is now handling big responsibilities. But for me, the big thing is not this. The biggest thing is that his journey has changed the thinking of the entire village. Today, many people from the same village are moving forward with the Adani Group in new jobs. And Atu Bhai is not alone. There are many such stories where people, while working with us, have recognized the entrepreneur within them, expanded their work, and created a new identity. This is the purpose of the Partnership Model. We do not just want to complete projects. We want to move people forward. We want that through this model, the energy of entrepreneurship comes into the system, and hundreds of such people are prepared who move forward and also move others forward.
The third pillar is Learning and Development. If we have to bring pace to our work, if we have to build strong partnerships, then the most important thing is that our people keep learning. We want a clear path for everyone to move forward. Where if someone is unskilled, they become semi-skilled. From semi-skilled to skilled, and if they go on to become a supervisor, manager, or leader. Whether someone is a fitter, crane operator, technician, or any colleague working on site, there should be an opportunity for everyone to move forward. I remember the story of Subbu. Subbu started working as a laborer at the Ajira port. But he always had a desire to learn. He started with small suggestions. Then he took training, learned technology, and gradually made his work better. Starting from a laborer to becoming a supervisor, then an innovation manager, and today contributing to the corporate office. Today, his journey is an example. But it is important to say that Subbu is not just one person. Subbu is a mindset. I want every one of you to think that I can also become Subbu. Every one of you has that capability. That is why we are building Adani Skill Centers, where there will be a system for everyone to learn and enhance their skills. And through technology, we will also ensure that every colleague gets a chance to learn and move forward, no matter where they are working.
Friends, these three changes, the Three-Layer Model, Partnership Model, and Learning and Development, are not separate. They are incomplete without each other. That is why it is necessary to implement all three. You can understand them like the Triveni Sangam. The Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, the three rivers are different. But when they meet in the Sangam, their importance and power increase. Friends, along with these three changes, there are some basic things that we have always believed in and will continue to work on with the same strength. You can call them the five elements of our institution. Just as nature is made up of five elements, a strong institution is also built on some basic elements.
The first element is priority to local people. We believe that where we work, the soil, the people, and the dreams of that place should also move forward with us. That is why our effort is that first, people from the local area get opportunities, then from within the state, and only after that from outside. And even in some special circumstances where local people are not available, our partners know better where to bring the right people from. The second element is skill and training. The world and the work are both changing. To stay ahead, it is necessary to give people continuous opportunities to learn. That is why we are making efforts like training programs and Adani Skill Centers. The third element is clear career progression. We want to create a cadre where people join in their youth, keep learning, and keep moving forward with this same institution. From unskilled to semi-skilled, skilled, supervisor, manager, and a clear journey to leadership. I want a time to come soon when lateral hiring in the Adani Group is completely stopped, and we rely only on homegrown talent. This is not just a career path. It is a journey of complete trust. The fourth element is fair and competitive salary. Hard work should be respected. The payment should be fair and the payment should be on time. Every colleague should have the confidence that their hard work, their dedication, and their contribution are being respected fairly. The fifth element is life with dignity. Many of our colleagues work at difficult sites far away. After a day's hard work, they should get a clean place to stay, nutritious food, and a safe environment. This is not a facility. This is a necessity. This is the right of every hard worker. That is why we are building air-conditioned housing for about 5000 associates in Mundra and Khavda. And for our associates, we are building a huge cloud kitchen in Mundra, where more than 1 lakh meals of clean, tasty, and nutritious food will be available daily.
My dear participants, just as the Pandavas were five, and each one's strength was different. Yudhishthir had truth and patience. Bhim had strength. Arjun had skill. Nakul and Sahdev had balance and knowledge. But their real strength was in being together. Similarly, these are the five elements of our institution. These five elements together create a strong, sensitive, and progressive institution. Colleagues, every one of our sites is a mini India. People from different parts of the country, different languages, different cultures, different backgrounds, but all working together. Someone is from Uttar Pradesh, someone from Bihar, someone from West Bengal. Someone from Kerala, someone from Odisha, someone from Gujarat. But when they are on site, their identity is only one: that we are all colleagues of the Adani Group and we are all Indians. And when millions of people work with this spirit, we are not just building projects. We are building the nation. That is why I believe you are not just laborers. You are not just employees. You are not just officers. You are nation-builders.
Come, on this Labour Day, let us take a resolve that we will consider our work not just a job, but a contribution to nation-building. This is our journey. This is our resolve. And this is our future. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Namaskar.
We are doing this dialogue of 'Apni Baat Apnon Ke Saath' on the important and sacred occasion of May 1st, World Labour Day. I believe that life is a continuous journey of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, where we learn from the past, understand the present, and shape the future. The development journey of the Adani Group has also been based on this thought. Every experience, every decision, and every achievement is a shared part of ours. As a family, it is necessary that we share these learnings and thoughts openly, so that together we can make our business, our people, and all stakeholders more capable and empowered for the future. 'Apni Baat Apnon Ke Saath' is an effort of this very sentiment, where through dialogue from time to time, we will make our journey transparent, empowered, meaningful, and participative.
Today is our day. It is everyone's day. Every person who is a hard worker, today is their day. Every person whose faith is in hard work, who understands the strength of their sweat, who does not run away from difficulties but knows how to engage with them, today is their day. Those who have courage, have the spirit to achieve something, today is their day. That is why this day is my day, your day, and everyone's day. Today is World Labour Day. Today is World Workers' Day. This is not just a date, but a celebration of the spirit that gives a person the strength to realize their dreams. And friends, for me, this day is very special for another reason as well. On May 1, 1986, exactly 40 years ago today, I was bound in the sacred bond of marriage with Priti and started a new journey of life with the most important person in my life.
That this morning, I had the good fortune to visit the sacred Kedarnath Dham with my wife, Priti, and have the divine darshan of Lord Mahadev. There, we prayed together that He gave me birth in this great country, India, and gave me the opportunity to serve this nation. I received your love and trust, and for that, we are grateful to Him.
Today, we also prayed that our country continues to progress and prosper, and that all of your lives are filled with happiness, peace, and health. And there, we also took a resolve that together, with new enthusiasm and new energy, we will work for an even greater purpose.
We stand in a period of extraordinary importance. After a long period of slavery, our country became independent in 1947. Today, it has been almost 80 years since that independence, and today, through our hard work and valor, we stand at a point where the world is looking towards India with hope.
This is a time when our every effort is not limited to just personal or institutional gains, but becomes a matter of national importance. The country's respected Prime Minister, Narendra Bhai Modi, has taken the resolve to make India a developed nation by 2047, with faith in the country's youth power, its energy, and its potential.
But this resolve will not be fulfilled by the efforts of any one person, any one institution, or any one government. For this, 140 crore countrymen will have to come together with full dedication, full energy, and complete commitment. The Adani Group is also a part of this country. That is why it is not just our opportunity, but our responsibility to contribute to the journey of making this nation developed.
Some people might think, in such a large country with such a vast population, what difference will my individual contribution make? If I do nothing, what will happen? In the context of this thought, I want to share a story with you.
We all know an episode from the Ramayana. When the entire human army, under the leadership of Lord Ram, reached the seashore and the work of building a bridge to Lanka began, large monkeys and bears were lifting huge stones and throwing them into the sea. At that time, Lord Ram and Lakshman came to see the work.
They saw a small squirrel repeatedly going into the sea, rolling in the sand, and then putting that sand into the bridge. She was doing this work again and again. When she was asked, 'What are you doing?', she replied with full confidence, 'I am also giving my contribution.' When she was told that what difference would her small particles of sand make in front of such large stones, her answer was very profound.
The big thing is not how much difference my grains of sand will make. The big thing is that when history is written, it should not be said that I did not give my contribution. Friends, this same feeling should be within all of us. It is not important how big or small your contribution is. What is important is whether you gave your contribution or not.
When we go to work, we should not think that we are just doing a job. We must understand that our every work is linked to nation-building. When we complete a project, we are not just doing a job. We are shaping the future of the country.
To understand this, look at Mundra. There was a time when there was nothing there. There was sand, empty land. Today, that same Mundra has become India's largest port. It is giving momentum to the country's trade and connecting India with the world.
Similarly, the Vizhinjam port in Kerala will give India a new identity on the global maritime map and will take us forward in the direction of becoming a strong transshipment hub. And in Khavda, Kutch, where we are building one of the world's largest green energy projects, we are laying the foundation for a safe and clean future for coming generations.
And now, the Navi Mumbai Airport. This is not just an airport. It is the pride of our country. It is one of the best airports in the world. It will give a new dimension to India's aviation capacity, enhance connectivity, and open up new opportunities for millions of people. This is not just an airport. It is a symbol of India's growing strength and capability.
In this sequence, you all know that recently, the honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Bhai Modi ji, inaugurated the historic Ganga Expressway project in Uttar Pradesh. This expressway is not just a road connecting 12 districts and more than 500 villages. Rather, like the sacred stream of Mother Ganga, it is a powerful medium connecting people's lives.
Just as Mother Ganga has been nourishing our faith and culture for centuries, this expressway will become a new stream of development and bring a transformation in the lives of more than 8 crore people. The journey from Meerut to Prayagraj, which used to take 10-11 hours, will now be completed in 5-6 hours.
The strength of the Ganga Expressway is such that, if needed, fighter jets can also land on it. This is a symbol of the power and confidence of a new India. Mother Ganga is our faith, and the Ganga Expressway is a strong bridge connecting that faith with development, which will not only give new momentum to the progress of Uttar Pradesh but of the entire country.
But friends, the Adani Group has taken another resolve which is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks of my life and is closest to my heart. The redevelopment of Dharavi. This is not just a project. It is perhaps the world's largest and most challenging attempt at a humanitarian transformation.
I have taken this responsibility with full understanding. Of course, there are many challenges. We did not take this decision for profit. We have taken this responsibility because Dharavi has somewhere been a symbol of our collective failure. The hard work of the people there, their strength to move forward, their power to struggle has always been inspiring.
But as a society, we could not give them the life they deserved. I want to change this situation. That is why I accepted the challenge of Dharavi. All these projects that I have mentioned are a small contribution of pride and satisfaction for the Adani Group in nation-building. And you all are the real foundation of that achievement.
In this purpose, I salute your labor power and bow to all of you. There was a time when I set out for Mundra with just 20 people. We would leave Ahmedabad at 4:00 AM, reach Mundra, and then spend the whole week there, overseeing the work. At that time, there used to be 300 to 400 people on site.
I knew almost every colleague by name, by their work, and by their nature. Who came from where, who was an expert in what work, I used to know all this. Today, more than 4 lakh people work with the Adani Group every day. Seeing this, I feel both pride and happiness.
But one thing always remains in my mind, that despite my wish, I can no longer remember the name of every colleague. But I want to tell you one thing from my heart. Even if I cannot remember every name, the relationship in my heart with you is still the same as it was before. The size of the institution has changed, but its values have not changed.
My thinking has always been that the Adani Group should not just be a place to do a job, but a platform where a hardworking person can move forward step by step. Where a person with a simple start can also reach the pinnacle one day. When we started in Mundra, I had never thought that this caravan would become so big.
At such times, I always remember these lines: 'I had set out alone, knowing the destination, but people kept joining, and the caravan kept growing.' Today, this caravan has become of more than a lakh participants. In the first 35 years, we together built assets of about ₹1 lakh crore, and today the situation is that we are going to add new assets of ₹1 lakh crore in just this one year.
This is not just a number. This is the result of your hard work. In the last few months, I visited different sites. By plane, helicopter, and road, I traveled more than 1 lakh kilometers. I met thousands of participants. After these meetings, one thing became absolutely clear in my mind.
If we have to maintain our pace and make the future stronger, then we have to move forward with full resolve on some fundamental points. Based on those experiences, we have started work on three major changes, three major transformations, which have three pillars.
The first pillar is the Three-Layer Model. As an institution grows, decisions start to slow down, and it takes time for something to reach from one level to another. We do not want this to happen. The purpose of the Three-Layer Model is to make the organization more agile, so that responsibilities are clear and decisions can be made quickly.
When there are fewer layers, decisions are faster, the pace of work increases, and a new energy comes into the entire organization. In today's world, the difference is often not of capability but of speed. We want a decision that takes three days on site to be made in three hours. And another big advantage is that when the organization is flat, young participants get opportunities quickly.
We have many young engineers, supervisors, and managers. They have energy, new ideas, and it is our responsibility to give them a chance to learn quickly, to move forward quickly, and to take responsibility.
The second pillar is the Partnership Model. Today, the real strength of the Adani Group is our people. Our employees and our partners, both are complementary to each other. One is incomplete without the other. Our employees give direction to the work, and our partners, contractors, suppliers, vendors, implement that work on the ground and give it momentum.
But as we expanded our work, a challenge emerged. Today, on many sites, more than 100 contractors are working together. To coordinate so many people, a separate system has to be created. It takes time, layers increase, and decisions become slow. We want to change this.
Our effort is to work with some strong and capable partners who can take full responsibility for the work and complete it in a better, faster, and more effective way. This will make coordination easier, layers will be reduced, responsibilities will be clear, and the pace of work will increase.
But the Partnership Model is not just about changing the structure. This change is of thinking. This change is cultural. This is our commitment that we will stand with our partners from beginning to end. Making them successful is our responsibility.
I remember the story of one of our partners, Hathu Bhai Rabari. He used to come from Vad village near our plant. Earlier, his family and the entire village's profession was to herd camels and sell milk. Around 2008, when our Adani Power Plant was under construction, the thinking of the people in the village was limited to doing small jobs near the plant.
But in 2016, during our solar project, Hathu Bhai took a step forward. We gave him a contract to supply water. He started by taking a loan for an old water tanker. Gradually, he understood his work, completed it on time, and built confidence in himself. Today, his company has become a strong business.
He has many Hydra machines, large cranes, and other equipment. He is today handling the responsibility of large projects. But for me, the big thing is not this. The biggest thing is that his journey has changed the thinking of the entire village. Today, many people from that same village are moving forward with the Adani Group in new ventures.
And Hathu Bhai is not alone. There are many such stories where people, while working with us, have recognized the entrepreneur within them, expanded their work, and created a new identity. This is the purpose of the Partnership Model. We do not just want to complete projects. We want to move people forward.
We want that through this model, the energy of entrepreneurship comes into the system, and hundreds of such people are prepared who move forward and also move others forward.
The third pillar is Learning and Development. If we have to bring pace to our work, if we have to build strong partnerships, then the most important thing is that our people keep learning. We want a clear path for everyone to move forward.
Where someone is unskilled, they should become semi-skilled. From semi-skilled to skilled, and if they go on to become a supervisor, manager, or leader. Whether someone is a fitter, a crane operator, a technician, or any colleague working on site, there should be an opportunity for everyone to move forward.
On this, I remember the story of Subbu. Subbu started his work as a laborer at the Hazira port. But he always had a desire to learn. He started with small suggestions, then took training, learned technology, and gradually made his work even better. Starting from a laborer to become a supervisor, then an innovation manager, and today contributing to the corporate office, his journey is an example today.
But it is important to say that Subbu is not just one person. Subbu is a mindset. I want every one of you to think that I too can become a Subbu. Every one of you has that capability. That is why we are building Adani Skill Centers, where there will be a system for every person to learn and enhance their skills.
And through technology, we will also ensure that every colleague gets a chance to learn and move forward, no matter where they are working. Friends, these three changes—the Three-Layer Model, the Partnership Model, and Learning and Development—are not separate. They are incomplete without each other. That is why it is necessary to implement all three.
You can understand them like the Triveni Sangam. The Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati are three different rivers. But when they meet in the Sangam, their importance and power increase. Friends, along with these three changes, there are some fundamental things that we have always believed in and will continue to work on with the same strength.
You can call them the five elements of our institution. Just as nature is made up of five elements, a strong institution is also built on some fundamental elements. The first element is giving priority to local people.
We believe that where we work, the soil, the people, and the dreams of that place should also move forward with us. That is why our effort is that first, people from the local area get opportunities, then from within the state, and only after that from outside. And even in some special circumstances where local people are not available, our partners know better where to bring the right people from.
The second element is Skill and Training. The world and the work are both changing. To stay ahead, it is necessary to give people continuous opportunities to learn. That is why we are making efforts like training programs and Adani Skill Centers.
The third element is a clear career progression. We want to create a cadre where people join in their youth, keep learning, and keep moving forward with this same institution. From unskilled to semi-skilled, skilled, supervisor, manager, and leadership, there should be a clear journey.
I want a time to come soon when lateral hiring in the Adani Group is completely stopped, and we rely only on homegrown talent. This is not just a career path. It is a journey of complete trust.
The fourth element is a fair and competitive salary. Hard work should be respected. The payment should be fair, and the payment should be on time. Every colleague should have the confidence that their hard work, their dedication, and their contribution are being respected fairly.
The fifth element is a life with dignity. Many of our colleagues work at difficult sites far away. After a day's hard work, they should get a clean place to stay, nutritious food, and a safe environment. This is not a facility. This is a necessity. This is the right of every hardworking person.
That is why we are building air-conditioned accommodation for about 5,000 associates in Mundra and Khavda. And we are building a huge cloud kitchen in Mundra for our associates, where more than 1 lakh clean, tasty, and nutritious meals will be available daily.
My dear participants, just as the five Pandavas were five, and each had a different strength—Yudhishthira had truth and patience, Bhima had strength, Arjuna had skill, Nakula and Sahadeva had balance and knowledge—but their real strength was in being together. Similarly, these are the five elements of our institution.
These five elements together create a strong, sensitive, and progressive institution. Colleagues, every one of our sites is a mini India. People from different parts of the country, with different languages, different cultures, different backgrounds, but all working together.
Someone is from Uttar Pradesh, someone from Bihar, someone from West Bengal. Someone from Kerala, someone from Odisha, someone from Gujarat. But when they are on site, their identity is only one: that we are all colleagues of the Adani Group and we are all Indians.
And when lakhs of people work with this feeling, we are not just building projects. We are building a nation. That is why I believe you are not just laborers. You are not just employees. You are not just officers. You are nation-builders.
Come, on this Labor Day, let us take a resolve that we will consider our work not just a job, but a contribution to nation-building. This is our journey. This is our resolve, and this is our future. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat. Namaskar.
This dialogue, 'Apni Baat Apno Ke Saath' (My Words With My Own), we are having on this important and sacred occasion of May 1st, World Labor Day. I believe that life is a continuous journey of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, where we learn from the past, understand the present, and shape the future.
The development journey of the Adani Group has also been based on this thinking. Every experience, every decision, and every achievement is a shared part of our coin. As a family, it is important that we share these learnings and thoughts openly, so that together we can make our business, our people, and all stakeholders more capable and empowered for the future.
'Apni Baat Apno Ke Saath' is an effort of this same sentiment, where from time to time, through dialogue, we will make our journey more clear, empowered, meaningful, and participative. Today is our day. It is the day of all of us.
Every person who is a hard worker, today is their day. Every person whose faith is in hard work, who understands the power of their sweat, who does not run from difficulties but knows how to engage with them, today is their day. Those who have courage, have resolve, have the passion to do something, today is the day for all of them.
That is why this day is my day. It is your day. It is the day of all of us. Today is World Labor Day. This is not just a date, but a celebration of the spirit that gives a person the strength to realize their dreams.
And friends, for me, this day is very special for one more reason. On May 1, 1986, 40 years ago today, I was bound in the sacred bond of marriage with Priti and started a new journey of life with the most important person of my life.
And what could be a better start to today than this, that this morning, I had the good fortune to visit the sacred Kedarnath Dham with my wife, Priti, and have the divine darshan of Lord Mahadev. There, we prayed together that He gave me birth in this great country, India, and gave me the opportunity to serve this nation. I received your love and trust, and for that, we are grateful to Him.
Today, we also prayed that our country continues to progress and prosper, and that all of your lives are filled with happiness, peace, and health. And there, we also took a resolve that together, with new enthusiasm and new energy, we will work for an even greater purpose.
We stand in a period of extraordinary importance. After a long period of slavery, our country became independent in 1947. Today, it has been almost 80 years since that independence, and today, through our hard work and valor, we stand at a point where the world is looking towards India with hope.
This is a time when our every effort is not limited to just personal or institutional gains, but becomes a matter of national importance. The country's respected Prime Minister, Narendra Bhai Modi, has taken the resolve to make India a developed nation by 2047, with faith in the country's youth power, its energy, and its potential.
But this resolve will not be fulfilled by the efforts of any one person, any one institution, or any one government. For this, 140 crore countrymen will have to come together with full dedication, full energy, and complete commitment. The Adani Group is also a part of this country. That is why it is not just our opportunity, but our responsibility to contribute to the journey of making this nation developed.
