Mukesh Ambani hails Reliance staff as 'frontline warriors', reiterates company's role in India's war against COVID-19

With thousands of his company employees helping run lifelines in a lockdown country - from phone lines to stores to fuel, billionaire Mukesh Ambani has hailed them as 'frontline warriors' as he reiterated Reliance Industries' role in India's war against COVID-19.

In a mailer to over two lakh employees of the oil-to-telecom conglomerate, the country's richest person said he was humbled to witness each one of them displaying extraordinary levels of commitment in battling most formidable adversity in modern history.

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While the three-week lockdown sent most of the 130 crore Indian indoors, Reliance's telecom arm Jio continues to provide a lifeline to nearly 40 crore people through uninterrupted voice calling and internet services on mobile; Reliance Retail supplies essential food and other items to millions, Reliance Life Sciences is enhancing India's COVID-19 testing capabilities and Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital established a dedicated 100-bed coronavirus treatment facility in Mumbai in just 10 days.

Besides, the company's refineries continue to produce fuel and other petroleum products, and petrochemical plants keep churning out products that include ones used in the packaging of medicines and medical equipment.

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In an internal note emailed on April 4, he informed of comprehensive COVID-19 tracking and treatment facility for all RIL staff and their dependents.

And also that Reliance Life Sciences' new COVID-19 testing capabilities would soon be offered to the community.

He also announced the launch of 'MyVoice' platform for staff to express and exchange thoughts.

"Supporting all these efforts are several functions across Reliance, ranging from engineering, construction, corporate services, human resources, finance, commercial and security services to corporate affairs," Ambani wrote.

He said the group employees were playing a part in keeping Reliance productive through these tough conditions.

"I firmly believe that each one of our colleagues across our businesses deserves to be honoured as 'Frontline Warriors'," he said. "I wholeheartedly appreciate and applaud all of you for your commitment and service to the country and to the company."

Ambani said the company has done tremendously well so far but it cannot rest until India has fully conquered the coronavirus calamity.

"The public health crisis is daunting alone, but the economic and humanitarian crisis on our hands must also be addressed. Each one of you in the Reliance family has the power to make India safer, healthier and stronger," he said.

Ambani noted that RIL's collective efforts were appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself and said that we should continue to live up to the trust that he has reposed in the Reliance Family.

"We bear a special responsibility because almost all our current businesses and all the current activities of Reliance Foundation are in the nature of 'Essential Services' for India's war against COVID-19," he said.

He said RIL's commitment to India was its motto: #CoronaHaaregaIndiaJeetega, but reiterated his own commitment to RIL staff and their family's welfare.

He advised staff to continue to practise safe social distancing, report daily on the RIL's company-wide online Symptoms Checker to track the health of all staff and their dependents and to use the in-house technology platforms for virtual care.

The Symptom Checker, he said, was an end-to-end COVID-19 platform to manage the healthcare and well-being employees and family members by not only facilitating the daily self-monitoring of symptoms but also triggering emergency medical response for immediate attention, if required.

This solution was available to all Reliance employees and family members and will soon be rolled out to the wider community in Mumbai and India.

Ambani announced that Reliance Life Sciences has developed its own confirmatory tests for COVID-19, which are available to all RIL employees on priority and will soon be rolled out in the community.