Adani’s manner was quiet and polite. He spoke softly, switching between English and his native Gujarati. My colleague Faizal Syed asked piercing questions about the financial viability of his port. Adani brushed them aside with supreme confidence in India’s trading potential.
I met Gautam Adani, Asia’s richest man, 23 years ago. It was at his headquarters in Ahmedabad in Western India. The 37-year-old was unknown beyond his home state.
The Adani Group was then a commodity trader. It was looking to enter infrastructure by promoting a port project. I was then an analyst in a private equity fund.
