New Delhi – Global luminaries converged on India for the nuptials of billionaire Mukesh Ambani's son, culminating months of lavish celebrations that showcased the tycoon's immense fortune and influence.
The guest list for Anant Ambani's wedding, the youngest son of the magnate, boasted an array of international figures. These included former UK Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair, tech moguls Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The patriarch is the world’s 9th richest man with a net worth of 104 billion euros. He is also the richest person in Asia, according to Forbes' latest figures.
The second and the seventh slots in the Forbes list of 10 richest Asians were also held by Indians as on 24 June, 2024.
Big fat wedding
The celebrations which kicked off in December gained pace with 1,200 guests invited to a gala party where Barbadian singer Rihanna performed.
It followed a four-day Mediterranean luxury cruise with 800 guests in May and then a gig by singer Kate Perry at a ball in Cannes followed by an orchestra in the Italian Riviera.
A sea of celebrities attended Saturday’s wedding of Anant to pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant, both 29.
Guests received color-coded wristbands and entry required pre-sent QR codes on mobile phones. Medical teams stood by.
Sunday's post-wedding reception drew thousands more, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cricket stars, Bollywood actors, and Kim and Khloé Kardashian.
Ivanka Trump, attending the festivities, commented on the assassination attempt on her father Donald Trump, which occurred the day after the wedding.
She reflected on her mother's passing two years prior, believing she watched over her father during the incident.
"Two years ago today, my mom passed away. I believe she was watching over dad last night during the attempt on his life,” she said in a sombre post.
Wedding costs reportedly reached 143 million euros, including Justin Bieber's 9-million-euro performance fee, trousseau, and a lunch for 50,000 people.
The backlash
The Ambanis have not revealed the costs but the staggering display of wealth led to a backlash in India, where 60 percent of its 1.3 billion people live on less than 2.8 euros a day.
"Legally it may be their money but such ostentatious expenditure is a sin against mother earth and [the] poor," opposition politician Thomas Isaac posted on X, awash with comments.
The “cost of Anant Ambani's wedding (invitation) card almost matches average annual salary in India,” remarked one X user but some rooted for the tycoon, whose 27-floor Mumbai landmark home is said to have 600 servants.
The lavish display sparked controversy in India, where 60% of the 1.3 billion population lives on less than 2.8 euros daily. Critics called it ostentatious, while some defended the Ambanis' right to spend their wealth.
India's Richie Rich!
The events coincided with reports of widening inequality in India. Since market liberalization in 1992, billionaires have proliferated. By 2023, the richest Indians owned 40.1% of national wealth, the highest since 1961, according to the World Inequality Lab.
Ambani leads India’s billionaire population which rose to 161 in 2022 from 145 the previous year and is projected to grow to 195 by 2027, added London-based consultancy firm Knight Frank.
The mega tycoon whose financial empire spans telecommunications, energy and retail sectors is from India’s Gujarat state where the business community is admired for its adroit trading skills.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said once voted to power he would tax India’s super rich and transfer the revenue to the poor as “a starting point for delivering social justice.”
“This is not a political issue for me, this is my life mission,” added Gandhi, who was absent at the three-day bash.
