Global celebrities, business moguls, and politicians began arriving in Mumbai, India’s financial capital, on Friday to attend the wedding of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man. This event highlights the immense wealth of the Indian billionaire and his increasing influence. Anant Ambani (29 years old) will marry his longtime girlfriend, Radhika Merchant, in what many are calling the wedding of the year.
The celebrations will take place at the "Jio World Convention Centre," owned by Ambani in Mumbai, and at the family home, culminating months of festivities, which included performances by several pop stars such as Rihanna and Justin Bieber. The four-day wedding celebrations will commence with a traditional Hindu ceremony on Friday, followed by a grand reception over the weekend.
According to local media, the guest list includes former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, the CEO of Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser, the Kardashian family, Adele, Lana Del Rey, Drake, and David Beckham. The Ambani family has not confirmed the guest list reported by the media.
Police have implemented traffic diversions from Friday to Monday around the wedding venue to manage the influx of guests flying into Mumbai, where heavy monsoon rains caused flooding and disrupted flights last week.
Mukesh Ambani (66 years old), the groom's father, is Asia’s richest man and the ninth richest person in the world, with a net worth estimated at $116 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Ambani's company, Reliance Industries, is a massive conglomerate with annual revenues exceeding $100 billion, engaging in sectors from petrochemicals and oil and gas to telecommunications and retail. The Ambani family owns a 27-story private residence in Mumbai named "Antilia," valued at $1 billion. The building features three helipads, a garage for 160 cars, a private cinema, a swimming pool, and a fitness center.
Anant Ambani oversees the group's expansion into renewable and green energy and also manages a 3,000-acre animal rescue center in Jamnagar, Gujarat, the family's hometown. The bride, Radhika Merchant (29 years old), is the daughter of pharmaceutical magnate Viren Merchant and the marketing director of his company "Encor Healthcare," according to Vogue magazine.
Critics argue that Ambani's company flourished primarily due to his political connections during the Congress party's rule in the 1970s and 1980s, and later under Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014. They contend that "crony capitalism" in India has allowed certain companies, such as Ambani’s, to thrive.
