‘My life has not always been a bed of roses’: When Anant Ambani’s emotional speech moved Mukesh Ambani to tears; how owning pain helps us move forward

While delivering the speech, he was joined on stage by Radhika Merchant. “I know everyone has made it to Jamnagar to make Radhika and me feel special. We are all honoured and humbled to have all of you here. I am sorry if we have caused any inconvenience to anyone,” he said, thanking all the guests who were present at the event.

Acknowledging his vulnerabilities and the emotional strength he drew from his family, he revealed, “As many of you know, my life has not always been entirely a bed of roses. I have also experienced the pain of thorns. I faced many health crises since childhood, but my father and mother have never let me feel that I have suffered. They have stood by me and my father and mother made me feel if I can think, I’ll do it. I am eternally grateful.” 

While the moment unfolded in a high-profile setting, it touched on something deeply human – what it means to come to terms with the struggles of the past while accepting a new, brighter future. 

But, what are some healthy ways for individuals to acknowledge their past health struggles while also embracing new life chapters?

Gurleen Baruah, existential psychotherapist at That Culture Thing, tells indianexpress.com, “ Carrying the memory of pain doesn’t mean staying stuck in it — it means learning how to honour it without letting it define you. Health struggles, especially those that begin young, often shape how we see ourselves and the world. Acknowledging them openly — without shame or dramatisation — is one way to reclaim power. It helps to speak about the past without turning it into either a badge of victimhood or a secret to be buried.”

What allows people to step into new life chapters truly is not erasing the past, but integrating it. Baruah notes, “This could mean developing a new relationship with the body, trusting joy again, or creating rituals of gratitude for what has survived. Healing isn’t about pretending there were no ‘thorns’—it’s about realising they, too, are part of your becoming.”

Processing pain in the presence of loved ones

When love softens suffering, Baruah says, people may grow up believing their pain isn’t real or “bad enough” to be spoken about. While this can build resilience, it can also silence legitimate struggles. Sometimes, the absence of visible suffering masks a quiet loneliness — the feeling that you have to carry your battles silently so as not to disrupt the gratitude or harmony around you.

“The healthiest space is one where support doesn’t come at the cost of self-honesty. Where it’s okay to say, yes, I was cared for — and it was still hard. Being allowed to name pain — even in a privileged or loving context—helps people seek help when they need it, instead of waiting for it to become unbearable,” concludes the expert.