Wife of Reliance Industries billionaire head Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani is a devoted mother of three who co-owns the famous Mumbai Indians cricket team and does considerable work to improve health and education in India’s rural areas
With a family fortune worth US$50 billion, the Ambanis are essentially Indian royalty. And while we’ve already touched on the cool things Isha and Akash Ambani are up to, we also want to cover the woman who raised these successful young adults, Nita Ambani.
“Early on as an adult, Nita Ambani was a professional dancer … during a performance Mukesh’s father, Dhirubhai Ambani, noticed her and decided he would ask her to be his daughter-in-law.”
These are 5 things you should know about the matriarch of the Ambani family.
1. She is committed to making the world a better place
As one of the most successful companies in Asia, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries – a conglomerate with businesses in areas such as telecommunications, petrochemicals, energy, textiles, retail and natural resources – has the power to bring about change. And that’s what its charitable arm, Reliance Foundation, is all about.
“Nita Ambani, chairperson of the charity, Reliance Foundation, has dedicated herself to its aims of rural transformation, education, health and disaster response”
The foundation’s chairperson is Nita Ambani, who has dedicated herself to the foundation’s aims of rural transformation, education, health and disaster response.
In 2017, Nita received the prestigious Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Award from the president of India in recognition of Reliance Foundation’s commitment to grass roots sports. It’s just one of many awards the foundation has won over the years.
2. She and Mukesh met in an adorable way
Nita was born to a middle-class Gujarati family. Early on as an adult she took up a career in Bharatanatyam, the Indian classical dance.
It was during one of Nita’s performances that Mukesh’s father, Dhirubhai Ambani decided he would ask her to be his daughter-in-law.
When Dhirubhai called her after the performance, Nita assumed it was a prank and quickly hung up. Luckily, he eventually got through – and the rest is history.
3. She and Mukesh are a true power couple
Nita, who is well aware of her family’s power and influence, is the “first lady” of the Ambani clan. She is also a capable businesswoman who, in her own words, is able to “translate Mukesh’s dreams”.
And she’s done just that, taking on influential charitable roles in the organisation as well as providing input involving advertising and other business initiatives at Reliance Industries.
4. She’s a huge cricket fan
Nita has made a huge impact in the realm of grass roots sports, and cricket is her speciality.
She is the co-owner of the Mumbai Indians cricket team, one of the powerhouses of the Indian Premier League. The Mumbai Indians won the title in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
“Nita Ambani has used the Mumbai Indians team’s influence for charitable ends: its ‘Education and Sports for All’ initiative has opened up access to sports for more than 100,000 underprivileged children in the Mumbai region”
Nita has used the team’s influence for charitable ends: the Mumbai Indians’ “Education and Sports for All” initiative has opened up access to sports for more than 100,000 underprivileged children in Mumbai, the capital of the state of Maharashtra.
5. She is a dedicated mother
In a 2011 interview with Indian entertainment platform IDiva, Nita opened up about her past struggles to bear children, revealing that she was 23 when told she wouldn’t be able to conceive.
After seven years of marriage and help from a fertility doctor, Nita and Mukesh welcomed twins, daughter Isha and son Akash, in 1991, and son Anant in 1995. Nita is a dedicated mother, and her children describe her as strict but loving.
Nita’s commitment to family and philanthropy make her a role model not just for her kids but for any woman who wants to use their influence to make the world a better place.
We can’t wait to see her next move!
Note – This story was originally published on SCMP and has been republished on this website.
