BEING NITA

NITA AMBANI IS PUTTING IN PLACE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND PHILANTHROPIC PROJECTS OF GLOBAL SCALE. THAT MAKES HER AN INSPIRATION FOR MILLIONS OF INDIANS.

- PAVAN LAL

NITA AMBANI

57, NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RELIANCE INDUSTRIES; CO-OWNER, MUMBAI INDIANS (NEW)

NOBODY SAYS no to a party hosted by Nita Ambani. They are glittering affairs, where the A-list—top-flight CEOs, Bollywood heartthrobs, sports stars, familiar TV anchors, politicians, the list is endless—congregate. But what makes her special is her willingness to pull in the same sort of crowd on someone else’s behalf.

In July 2016, at a debutante’s book launch, the guests, thanks to Nita’s generosity, were no different. They included Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Godrej Group chairman Adi Godrej, HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh, Piramal Group chairman Ajay Piramal, then ICICI Bank MD & CEO Chanda Kochhar, Tata Trusts trustee R.K. Krishna Kumar, AZB & Partners cofounder Zia Mody, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, and dozens of other leading entrepreneurs, bankers, and CEOs. Also present was Nita’s husband and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani.

“Nita’s organisational skills are honed to virtual perfection. She can put together a large-scale event overnight.... [and] with a personal touch,” says Zia Mody of AZB & Partners, a close business associate of the Ambani family. HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh, who has known the Ambani family for decades, says Nita’s obsession for detail and excellence is something that is evident in everything she touches. “Philanthropy, education, art, healthcare, sports, and cultural activities are some of the ones that most know about.”