Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant: Meet the couple behind the most lavish wedding ever
From 1-3 March all eyes were on the pre-wedding festivities of one of India's richest couples Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant.
The couple's celebrations became the talk of the town for the world as they brought Rihanna out of retirement to perform at the pre-wedding event.
Elites like Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and Ivanka Trump were among the many high-profile guests who attended the wedding.
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So who are Anant and Radhika behind one of the most extravagant weddings ever?
Anant Ambani, the son of India's richest man
Anant Ambani, the son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, aged 66, boasts a net worth of $117.8 billion (£92 billion), positioning him as India's wealthiest individual and the ninth richest globally.
The company was established in 1966 by Mukesh's father, Dhirubhai Ambani, who passed away in 2002.
Anant, along with his siblings Akash and Isha, have integrated themselves into the family enterprise and were appointed to the board in August 2023. Anant spearheads Reliance Industries' energy ventures.
Forbes reveals that the company has slated an investment of $80 billion (£63 billion) in renewable energy over the ensuing three years.
He leads Reliance's ambitious renewable energy project in Jamnagar, which hopes to make the company Net Carbon Zero by 2035. He is also passionate about wildlife conservation He has unveiled plans for perhaps one of the world's biggest animal shelters, named Vantara—in Jamnagar.
Vantara, meaning Star of the Forest, is a sprawling, 3,000-acre habitat for rescued animals. A host of world-renowned wildlife experts are being roped in for the grand enterprise.
Anant Ambani also attended Brown University and was educated at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, like his siblings.
Radhika Merchant, the daughter of pharmaceutical tycoons
Radhika Merchant, a businesswoman, is the daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, the founders of pharmaceutical company Encore Healthcare.
While not reaching the wealth levels of her future in-laws, her father is reported to possess a net worth of approximately £70 million.
In 2017, Radhika graduated from New York University with a bachelor's degree in political science and holds expertise as a trained classical dancer.
According to Forbes, Radhika holds a position on Encore Healthcare's board, where she serves alongside her sister, Anjali.
