The Ambani family is now the talk of the world with the dazzling and star-studded presence in Anant Ambani’s pre-wedding celebrations. From Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg to Rihanna’s concert – the spectacles at Jamnagar were one for the ages.  One might think, what is the limit for Asia’s richest man? There are several interesting facts behind the meteoric rise of Mukesh Ambani and the conglomerate Reliance is today. And the story doesn’t even start in India.  Few Lesser Known Facts About the Ambani Family  Born in a Foreign Land  Dhirubhai Ambani was working in Aden (present-day Yemen) where Mukesh was born in 1957. Dhirubhai with his family decided to move back to India in 1958 to start his own business, seeding the foundation of Reliance.  Read more: Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani 'setting up family office in Singapore' A Match Made in Bharatanatyam  Contrary to popular belief, Mukesh and Nita Ambani didn’t cross paths first. Instead, it was Dhirubhai and Kokilaben who first noticed Nita during a Bharatanatyam performance. Dhirubhai later approached Nita’s father Ravindrabhai Dalal for her hand in marriage to his son.  Birthday Unlike Any Other  It is rumored that Mukesh Ambani doesn’t like to celebrate his birthdays. But when it comes to family and the love of his life, there is no one quite like him. On the 44th birthday of Nita Ambani, Mukesh reportedly gifted her an Airbus (A319) luxury private jet estimated to be worth around 240 Crore INR.  Welcoming the First Daughter-in-Law  The razzle-dazzle of a wedding in Ambani house is nothing new. Ambanis welcomed their first daughter-in-law Shloka Mehta in 2019 as Akash and Shloka tied the knot in a big fat Indian wedding. It was reported that Nita Ambani gifted the ‘Mouawad L'Incomparable’ to Shloka, the 91-diamond studded necklace estimated at 451 Crore INR.  Read more: India's Mukesh Ambani kickstarts dynastic succession A House Fit for the Ambani  Mukesh Ambani with his wife and two sons live in the luxurious Antilla, the 27-storied fabled home in Mumbai. The 4.6 billion USD building is the most expensive private residence in the world, a fitting abode for Asia’s richest family.  Family at the Heart of Everything  The Ambanis are tied by a strong sense of familial obligations. Mukesh Ambani often stated how important it is for him to spend at least a day in the week with his mother, wife, and children. The bond of family is further extrapolated by the fact that there’s at least a photo of the family or Dhirubhai Ambani in each room of Antilla.  5 Rupees Pocket Money  In an interview with iDiva, Nita Ambani revealed that she used to give Akash, Isha, and Anant only 5 rupees as pocket money for an entire week. Nita reflected that it was her way of teaching the children to value money and stay grounded no matter what. Nita draws inspiration from her middle-class background and wants to instill the same in the heirs.  Read more: India to export $500bn green energy by 2042, Ambani says Nita Ambani’s Philanthropy  Nita Ambani has been spearheading Reliance’s philanthropic activities through the Reliance Foundation. She even resigned from the board of Reliance Industries in 2003 to focus more on philanthropic projects. Under her guidance, Reliance Foundation completed the Jamnagar Township Project and Dhirubhai Ambani International School.  Humble in Gastronomy  People are often surprised by the fact that Mukesh Ambani is a vegetarian. Even before heading the Reliance Industries, Mukesh was known for his humble and modest lifestyle and behavior. It’s a trait that has carried on to the Ambani heirs as well. In addition to being a vegetarian, Mukesh is often spotted dining with his family at traditional and less pretentious restaurants. The Ties of Friendship  The value of trust and fellowship goes beyond the family for Mukesh. Mukesh’s two close friends from college days, Anand Jain and Manoj Modi became key instruments in Reliance’s growth. Today both Jain and Modi closely work with the third generation of the Ambanis to get them started in the business.  Read more: Ambani pays 22K USD a month for top govt security in India The Sports Connection  Ambanis aren’t all about industries and philanthropies. The family has been a strong patron of sports, especially Nita Ambani. The IPL franchise Mumbai Indians is owned by Nita. Reliance Group also holds the ownership of the Indian Super League. For her patronage of sports, Nita Ambani received the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Award in 2017. Ivy-League Education  As the heir to the Reliance empire, the three children Akash, Isha, and Anant were expected to lead by example. And they did so splendidly. The three siblings had their early education in Dhirubhai Ambani International School. Akash and Anant both completed their bachelor’s from Brown University. Isha pursued a bachelor's in psychology at Yale University and later completed her MBA from Stanford.  Z+ Security  Being the richest man in India comes with its set of perils. In 2013, Mukesh Ambani got death threats which prompted the government to issue Z+ security for him and his family members.  Read more: India's biggest sibling rivalry between Ambani brothers to end soon? Vantara: Protecting the Wildlife  Anant Ambani is noted for being an animal lover. His concern for wildlife and nature is seen all around. Recently, the youngest of the Ambanis has taken up the ambitious project of Vantara, a 3000-acre wildlife sanctuary at Jamnagar. Vantara is expected to be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to take care of the animals and promote thriving flora and fauna in the region.  The Life of Dhirubhai in a Movie  The 2007 Mani Ratnam-directed film Guru is said to be loosely based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani. The movie tells the beautiful tale of how a man from a village can go on to create the largest conglomerate in India by his sheer will and determination to never give up.  Final Words  Being the richest family in Asia, the Ambanis never dissociated themselves from the masses. Their philanthropic activities and large-scale industrial operations have made them a key driver in India’s economic growth. As the third generation of the Ambanis walks the precedence set by their father and grandfather, it is safe to assume that Reliance will not lose its vision.  Read more: Mukesh Ambani no longer among world's top 10 richest billionaires

About 80 chartered flights have landed at the new international airport of India's holy city of Ayodhya for Monday’s partial opening of the controversial grand temple for one of Hinduism’s most revered deities, Lord Ram. Ayodhya’s airport can barely accommodate the influx of private jets. “The planes will depart after dropping guests,” airport manager Saurabh Singh said. The temple was built over an ancient razed mosque, and most political opposition leaders are boycotting the temple's opening, saying it doesn't befit a secular India. However, the list of attendees boasts some of India's most influential people: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Ahead of the upcoming general election, Modi’s Hindu nationalist party is using the elaborate consecration ceremony to lobby the country's Hindu majority. Read more: Ancient Temples of Bangladesh: Remembering Their Past Glory THE LEGEND OF RAM, THE PRINCE OF AYODHYA The temple will be the sacred abode of one of the Hindu pantheon's most popular gods Ram, who Hindus believe was born at the exact site in Ayodhya. Millions of Hindus worship Lord Ram with an intense belief that chanting his name in times of adversity will bring peace and prosperity, and most of those who practice Hinduism keep idols of Ram in their homes. Major Hindu festivals like Dussehra and Diwali are associated with mythological tales of Ram extolling the virtues of truth, sacrifice and ethical governance. The mythological Hindu epic “Ramayan," which tells the story of Ram’s journey from prince to king, has often been adapted in popular culture. One of the most-viewed fabled shows is the TV series “Ramayan” created in the 1980s which continues to have a faithful audience. Ram’s divinity is not only the dominant religious force in India but also part of the ancient cultural heritage in countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia. Read more: A Hindu temple built atop a razed mosque in India is helping Modi boost his political standing A TEMPLE RISES Spread over nearly 3 hectares, the temple — which is still being built— has an estimated cost of $217 million. It's made with pink sandstone, adorned with intricate carvings, and has 46 doors — 42 of which will have a layer of gold. Anil Mishra, a member of the trust overseeing the construction, said the temple blends traditional design with cutting-edge technology and is “crafted without the use of iron, steel, or cement." A 1.3-meter (4.25-foot) dark stone sculpture depicting Ram was installed in the temple’s inner sanctum for Monday’s consecration. The religious ritual of “Pran Pratishtha," which signifies giving life to the idol, will be conducted according to Hindu Vedic scriptures. The deity can then receive and bless devotees. After the ceremony, the temple will open to the public and an estimated 100,000 devotees are likely to visit daily, authorities say. AYODHYA, PAST AND PRESENT The city known for its narrow lanes crowded with Hindu pilgrims and shops selling miniature Ram idols, has been given a facelift with modern infrastructure and services. Ayodhya’s modest airstrip has grown into an expansive international airport with a 2.2-kilometer (about 1.4-mile) runway in the first phase. The clean railway station has a daily passenger capacity of about 50,000 people. “The historical and spiritual significance of Ayodhya makes it a compelling destination,” and a huge surge in demand is anticipated, said Ravi Singh, a representative of the Indian Hotels Company Limited. THE CONTROVERSY Ayodhya has been at the center of India’s turbulent politics and the Hindu majoritarian quest to redeem the country’s religious past for decades. Its diverse, multicultural past was overrun by strident Hindu nationalism after mobs demolished the 16th-century Babri mosque in 1992. Hindus won a prolonged legal battle in 2019, allowing them to build the temple. Hindus make up about 80% of India’s population but the country is also home to some 200 million Muslims who have frequently come under attack by Hindu nationalists. Modi has been the face of an unprecedented, and unapologetic, fusion of religion and politics in India and led the temple’s groundbreaking ceremony in 2020. Critics say the idea of a diverse, constitutionally secular state leading a Hindu religious ritual is deplorable. Most opposition leaders have declined the invitation, saying the event is being used for political campaigning by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which promised to build a Ram temple as part of its election strategy. Modi has asked people to publicly celebrate the consecration by lighting lamps at homes and temples. The message is clear: Mobilization of Hindu voters will be a key issue in the upcoming national election as Modi looks to extend his rule for a record third-consecutive term. Read more: India's Modi is set to open a controversial temple in Ayodhya in a grand event months before polls

Billionaire Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani kickstarted a dynastic succession on Tuesday, handing over the reins of his conglomerate Reliance Industries' telecom arm Jio to his eldest son Akash. The 65-year-old senior Ambani stepped down as the director of Reliance Jio Infocomm and made Akash the chairman of the company's Board. Read:Ambani pays 22K USD a month for top govt security in India Jio Infocomm, at a meeting on June 27, "approved the appointment of Akash M Ambani, non-executive director, as the chairman of the board of directors of the company", the telecom giant intimated India's bourses. Akash, 31, who graduated in economics from Brown University, joined Jio in 2014. He is married to Shloka Mehta in 2020 and the couple have a son, Prithvi. Jio has attracted some 400 million subscribers to its network since its mega launch in 2016, despite being a late entrant to India's telecom sector.  By offering free voice calls and data at the world's cheapest price, it has already changed the country's digital landscape.  Read: India to export $500bn green energy by 2042, Ambani says UNB had earlier reported about the senior Ambani's plan to split his USD 200 billion business empire among his three children -- Akash, Isha and Anant. Over the past two years, Reliance went on an aggressive fundraising spree to make the conglomerate debt-free, a step to trim its dependence on the flagship oil sector to diversify into telecom and e-commerce.

Billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani-owned oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries has become the first Indian company to record a gross revenue of over 100 billion US dollars in a year. The company on Friday declared its quarter four earnings for the last financial year (April 2021 to March 2022), showing a gross revenue of over Rs 58,000 crore against Rs 57,700 (approx) in the previous quarter.  And for the entire fiscal, Reliance reported a gross revenue of Rs 7.92 lakh crores (102 billion US dollars) -- a feat the company attributed to the rise in earnings in its telecom, retail and refining businesses. "Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic and heightened geo-political uncertainties, Reliance has delivered a robust performance in FY2021-22,"  Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, said in a statement.  "Over the past year, we added over 2.1 lk new employees across our businesses with our consumer & technology biz creating a large part of these new jobs. I am pleased to report that our Retail biz has crossed the 15,000-store benchmark," he said. Also Read: Reliance eyeing stake in Google-backed Indian unicorn? "I am confident that Reliance will create sustainable and affordable new energy solutions for India to help her meet growing energy needs, while ensuring that we achieve our ambitious target of Net Carbon Zero by 2035," Ambani added. One of the richest persons in Asia, Mukesh's current net worth is nearly USD 80 billion. His Reliance Group is now India's most valuable company by market capitalisation. UNB had earlier reported about Mukesh's rumoured plans to hand over three core business areas of Reliance Industries to his three children -- Akash, Isha and Anant -- and also about his aggressive fundraising spree to make his conglomerate debt-free amid the pandemic. The fundraising spree was aimed at reducing Reliance's dependence on the flagship oil sector to diversify into telecom and e-commerce. In 2020, Reliance raised USD 15.2 billion by selling stakes in its telecom unit Jio and another USD 7 billion through rights issue.    

India is projected to export an estimated $500 billion worth of green energy by 2042, Bloomberg reported, citing chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani, reports ARAB NEWS. “India will emerge as a global new energy leader,” Bloomberg reported, citing Ambani. The technicalities on how this will be achieved is yet to be disclosed. Read: Learning from Covid, Modi govt plans big AI push for disease surveillance across India However, the South Asian country is dependent on businessmen such as Ambani to help it achieve net zero by 2070. Ambani’s multinational conglomerate, Reliance Industries Ltd., plans to invest a total of $76 billion in clean energy projects over the coming years. “For the next two to three decades, India’s dependence on coal and imported oil will continue, but we must have a plan to eliminate that,” Ambani said. Read: Ukraine seeks Indian intervention in ending Russian offensive Accordingly, Reliance Industries is repurposing one of its plants to generate blue hydrogen at $1.2 to $1.5 per kilogram.

India's richest man Mukesh Ambani-owned oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries is working to develop a new anti-Covid formulation -- a tapeworm drug -- as the country grapples with a devastating second wave of the pandemic. Reliance has disclosed the information about the drug 'Niclosamide' as a possible cure for coronavirus in its annual report for the financial year 2020-21, filed with markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). India has recorded over 28 million cases to date -- second only to the US -- and is now the epicentre of the global pandemic. The country has also recorded more than 300,000 deaths, the third-highest fatality count in the world, behind the US and Brazil. Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the world's largest Covid vaccination drive on January 16, the country is currently facing an acute shortage of jabs.  Serum Institute-produced Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield and local company Bharat Biotech's Covaxin are currently being given to citizens. Covishield is also being used in Bangladesh's mega inoculation drives. Moreover, in view of the ongoing pandemic, Reliance has decided to pay full salaries for five years to the families of employees who succumbed to Covid-19, and put in place a liberal leave policy for the serving staff affected by coronavirus. In a statement, the conglomerate has said that under the 'Reliance Family Support and Welfare Scheme', it would fully fund tuition fees, hostel accommodation and books of all the children of the deceased employees, up to graduation. Reliance has also promised 100 percent payment of premium for hospitalisation coverage for the spouse, parents and children of those employees."Further, all colleagues affected by Covid-19 personally or within their family can avail the special Covid-19 leave for the full duration of their recovery, both physically and emotionally," according to the statement signed by Mukesh and his wife Nita. The second richest person in Asia and the 14th richest in the world, Mukesh's current net worth is around USD 78 billion. His Reliance Group is now India's most valuable company by market capitalisation. UNB had earlier reported about Mukesh's rumoured plans to hand over three core business areas of Reliance Industries to his three children -- Akash, Isha and Anant -- and also about his aggressive fundraising spree to make his conglomerate debt-free amid the pandemic. The fundraising spree was aimed at reducing Reliance's dependence on the flagship oil sector to diversify into telecom and e-commerce. Last year, Reliance raised USD 15.2 billion by selling stakes in its telecom unit Jio and another USD 7 billion through rights issue. The digital news outlet had also reported about Reliance's plans to take its telecom arm Jio public in the 2021-22 fiscal, riding on the increased digital adoption across the world, in the wake of Covid. India's internet users are likely to grow to 850 million by 2022.

From hiring private bodyguards to buying jets, US-based billionaire businessmen like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos spend a fortune every year on personal security measures. Rarely they enjoy state protection.

India's retail industry is changing, fast. From supply chain to distribution and delivery -- the industry is rapidly remodelling itself for the digital age amid Covid. And by the end of this fiscal on April 30, the fast-paced retail industry is projected to touch USD 1.1 trillion in India, despite Covid temporarily affecting consumer spending.

India's richest man Mukesh Ambani is no more among the top 10 richest billionaires in the world, despite his oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries emerging as the biggest wealth creator in the past five years.

More than 15 years after they split their late father's business empire following a bitter public feud over its control, speculation is rife that India's biggest sibling rivalry between Mukesh Ambani and his younger brother Anil could end soon.