A wedding is a magical moment in every couple’s lives. It creates a bond between two families with an “I do” and the first kiss as a married couple. In recent news, all eyes have been turned towards India as pre-wedding celebrations, for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant have united more than the two families involved. Celebrities from around the world have joined together to travel to India, with a special concert performed by Rihanna and a themed party at the local animal rescue center. Other notable celebrities spotted at the festivities in Jamnagar, Gujarat include Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, and numerous Bollywood stars and Indian billionaires. Even though Ambani and Merchant’s wedding is four months away, the couple’s future has caught the attention of millions around the world.
Mukesh Ambani, the groom’s father, is the richest man alive in Asia, with a net worth of over $117 billion. According to Forbes, he is the ninth wealthiest billionaire in the world. The massive amount of money he has accumulated comes from leading Reliance Industries Limited, a company with interests in petrochemicals, oil, gas, telecom, retail, and financial services. Originally a small textile manufacturing company founded by Dhurbhai Ambani, the groom’s grandfather, Reliance has grown under Mukesh’s leadership. After Mukesh Ambani’s death in 2002, Mukesh Ambani and his younger sibling Anil Ambani have created a family empire, with sections of the company supervised by their children. Mukesh Ambani’s eldest son Akash Ambani Ambani leads Reliance’s telecom service, his daughter Isha Ambani oversees retail and financial services, and his younger son Anant Ambani is involved in the energy business.
The bride’s family, the Merchants, also holds a high reputation in India. The bride’s father, Viren Merchant, is the CEO of Encore Healthcare, a privately owned pharmaceutical manufacturing company valued at nearly $30 billion. Therefore, it is no surprise that the two families were able to fund such extravagant pre-wedding events and attract thousands of respected guests.
While some claim that Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant have been friends since childhood, others believe they met later in life. Ambani revealed in a recent interview with LifestyleAsia that they chose to get married in Jamnagar because it is his grandmother’s birthplace and the town where his grandfather started the family business, so it is “close to his heart.” According to E! Online, Jamnagar’s airport, which typically manages fewer than ten flights daily, reported an increase in activity, with approximately 130 flights carrying guests for the extravagant event. The pre-wedding bash ran from March 1 to 3, and featured over 500 dishes created by around 100 chefs, luxury “glamping tents” for visitors, and Rihanna’s first ever performance in India. According to Business Insider, the first day of celebrations featured a cocktail party at an ornate event adorned with flowers where guests enjoyed a drone show in the night. On the second day, guests visited the Reliance animal rescue center, which is the groom’s pet project, for “a walk on the wild side.” In the evening, there was a “mela rouge,” a colorful display of dazzling Indian dresses and traditions. The last day included a “tusker trails” event where guests could spend the afternoon surrounded by over 200 elephants, 300 big cats, and 120 reptiles previously at risk of being sold or poached.
Amid these festivities, Ambani and Merchant served food to more than 51,000 villagers of Jogwar village near Reliance Township in Jamnagar as part of the Anna Seva, or community food service, event.
As pictures and clips of the pre-wedding festivities went viral on social media, many social media users fat-shamed Ambani and called Merchant a gold-digger. However, in a speech dedicated to his parents, Ambani held back tears as he explained that his life had never been “a bed of roses.” As a child, he struggled with chronic asthma and had to take steroids to reduce the symptoms. Unfortunately, steroids can increase hunger, which can lead to weight gain, and asthma symptoms make it harder to keep active. However, Ambani has not let his disease define his success, as he received his education at Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai, which was named after his grandfather, and received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brown University.
Although the pre-wedding festivities have ended, Ambani and Merchant will be tying the knot to their relationship on July 12, 2024. According to AWBI, the reason for selecting July 12 as their wedding day is because of its “auspicious celestial alignments believed to bestow blessings on their [wedding].” This won’t be the last time that you see the Ambani family name in the headlines!
