Bangalore: January 23 marks 25 years of a day recognised worldwide as when the Reliance group introduced to India the idea and culture of sharing wealth with investors. It's also a commemoration of one of the most significant paradigm shifts in modern India's corporate history, from "I" to "we", as relationship and trust came to signify the foundation of rapid growth, according to an official press release.

Every year for the past quarter of a Century, Reliance has endeavoured to live up to the trust and expectations of its shareholders. And in turn, Reliance shareholders have earned increasingly better returns on their savings and investment, spurring them to fulfil their needs, aspirations and dreams, the release said.

On 23rd January 1978, a pioneering group of 57,949 people came together to form the Reliance family of shareholders. Since that landmark day, 33 lakh people have joined this family of achievers, counted amongst the largest in the world. At present, one out every four investors in India is a Reliance shareholder, the release said.

Reliance celebrates this special relationship by dedicating this day to the trust, spirit and future of all the shareholders, and designating January 23 as 'Shareholder's Day', according to the release.

Reliance's founder-chairman Dhirubhai H Ambani had only one regret in his life, that he did not have the resources to pursue higher education. He came to believe that this constraint must cease to exist for India to achieve its rightful place in the world. As a tribute to this philosophy, Reliance proposes to institute a scholarship scheme for 1,000 of the most deserving children of Reliance shareholders, who will be recognised as Dhirubhai Ambani Scholars, the release said. (Details of the scholarship will be available at www.ril.com)