Asia's richest man son’s pre-wedding festivities begins in India

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – The pre-wedding function of the youngest son of Asia's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, began in the Indian western state of Gujarat by feeding over 50,000 people.

Ambani's youngest son, Anant Ambani, 28, is set to tie the knot with Radhika Merchant, daughter of Indian industrialist Viren Merchant's daughter, later this year.

According to Forbes, billionaire tycoon Mukesh Ambani chairs and runs $110 billion Reliance Industries and is Asia's richest person.

Footage broadcasted in the local media showed Ambani serving traditional food to people in their hometown of Jamnagar in Gujarat state on Wednesday evening. The event will see food serving to over 51,000 people.

With the three-day pre-wedding festivities beginning on Friday, guests including the world's wealthiest and global stars have started arriving in Jamnagar, Press Trust of India reported, which said that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft founder Bill Gates are among the guest list.

Hollywood pop-icon Rihanna will perform during the pre-wedding festivities.

The Reliance Foundation this week said that "ushering in Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's much-awaited wedding," the Ambani family has "facilitated the construction of new temples within a sprawling temple complex" in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

"The temple complex keeps India's rich cultural and spiritual identity at the heart of the wedding festivities," it added.

Earlier this week, the foundation launched the Vantara program, which focuses on the rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad.

While the family is now celebrating pre-wedding festivities, the marriage is set to take place later this year. The couple got engaged in a traditional ceremony in January last year.

In 2018, Mukesh Ambani's daughter Isha Ambani got married – the event which was performed by U.S. music superstar Beyonce also performed. Local media then said the approximate cost was $100m.