Asia’s Richest Man’s Son to Wed in Lavish Indian Ceremony

Global celebrities, business moguls, and political leaders are converging in India’s financial hub for the wedding of Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son. Ambani, who ranks as the world’s ninth richest individual, is hosting a grand celebration in Mumbai.

Anant Ambani, 29, is marrying his longtime girlfriend, Radhika Merchant, in what is being dubbed as the wedding of the year. The festivities are taking place at the Ambani-owned Jio World Convention Centre and their family residence. This marks the culmination of months of wedding events featuring performances by pop stars such as Rihanna and Justin Bieber.

The four-day wedding celebrations begin with a traditional Hindu ceremony on Friday, followed by a grand reception over the weekend. The guest list includes notable figures like former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser, the Kardashians, Adele, Lana Del Rey, Drake, and David Beckham, as reported by local media.

However, the Ambani family has not confirmed the guest list.

Police have imposed traffic diversions from Friday to Monday around the wedding venue to manage the influx of guests flying into Mumbai. The city has recently been experiencing heavy monsoon rains, leading to flooding and flight disruptions over the past week.

The groom’s father, Mukesh Ambani, 66, holds the title of the world’s ninth richest man with a net worth of $116 billion, according to Forbes. He is also the richest person in Asia. His conglomerate, Reliance Industries, reports over $100 billion in annual revenue, spanning sectors from petrochemicals and oil and gas to telecommunications and retail.

Among their numerous assets, the Ambani family owns a 27-story private apartment worth $1 billion in Mumbai. This residence boasts three helipads, a 160-car garage, and a private movie theater.

Anant Ambani oversees the conglomerate’s renewable and green energy expansion and also manages a 3,000-acre animal rescue center in Jamnagar, Gujarat, the family’s hometown.

The bride, Radhika Merchant, 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Viren Merchant and serves as the marketing director for his company, Encore Healthcare, according to Vogue.

Critics of Ambani argue that his company’s success is largely attributed to political connections formed during Congress-led governments in the 1970s and ’80s and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule after 2014. They claim that “crony capitalism” in India has enabled certain corporations, including Ambani’s, to flourish.

The pre-wedding celebrations for the Ambani family have been nothing short of extravagant and star-studded.

In March, they hosted a three-day prenuptial bash for Anant with 1,200 guests, including former world leaders, tech tycoons, and Bollywood megastars. The celebrations featured performances by Rihanna, Akon, and Diljit Dosanjh, a Punjabi singer who gained international fame after performing at Coachella. Notable attendees included tech billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.

This kickoff to the lavish celebrations grabbed headlines and fueled a social media frenzy.

In May, the family treated guests to a three-day cruise from Italy to France, which included Katy Perry singing her hit song “Firework” and a performance by Pitbull, according to media reports.

They also organized a mass wedding for more than 50 underprivileged couples on July 2 as part of the celebrations.

Last week, Justin Bieber performed at a private pre-wedding concert that also included Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, and Salman Khan.

Ambani also made headlines in 2018 when his daughter got married. The grand celebrations included a performance by Beyoncé at the pre-wedding festivities. Among those in attendance were former US Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, who mingled with Indian celebrities and Bollywood stars in the city of Udaipur.