Did Mukesh Ambani’s wife Nita really give daughter-in-law Shloka Mehta the most expensive necklace in the world? How the matriarch of Asia’s richest family spends her fortune
Nita Ambani poses with husband Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, in July 2017. Photo: Reuters
Indian business conglomerate Reliance Industries just added an extra US$123.8 billion to its value, according to Forbes – lifting the Ambanis from being merely Asia’s richest family, to officially rank among the world’s top 10 wealthiest, thanks in part to gargantuan investments by the likes of Facebook and Google in Reliance’s digital platform Jio.
With all eyes fixed on the Ambanis, STYLE today takes a look at its matriarch, Nita Ambani: a devoted wife to Mukesh Ambani, mother of three and philanthropist. How does Nita earn her own money outside the joint fortune – and how does she spend her wealth?
After raising their children Isha, Akash and Anant, the Ambanis established the Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) – one of the best schools in Mumbai – in 2003 and then added the Reliance Foundation in 2010. The latter is a profit-earning foundation that oversees the company’s CSR programmes. Back in April, Reliance Industries donated US$68 million to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s PM Cares Fund for Covid-19 relief, along with US$680,000 to the governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat, according to The Economic Times.
Nita Ambani, how rich is she? And how does she splash her cash? Photo: nitaambanioffical/Instagram
The Ambani “First Lady” is also a shrewd businesswoman who receives shares for her various influential roles. For starters, she serves as the chairperson at DAIS, which charges enrolment fees of US$4,000 to each of their 1,000 students.
Meanwhile, since 2014 Nita has served Reliance Industries as a non-executive director, earning a sitting fee of US$9,500 along with US$157,000 in commission, per The Economic Times. If that’s not enough, she has co-owned the most successful cricket team in the IPL (Indian Premier League), Mumbai Indians, since 2008. In September 2019, the team was worth an estimated US$110 million, also according to The Economic Times.
Besides her business endeavours, Mrs Ambani also leads an extravagant lifestyle as attested by her breathtaking wardrobe, monarchical jewellery and fleet of luxury cars. She once ordered 25,000 pieces of Japanese Noritake tableware from its Sri Lankan factory. Each dinner set has 22-carat gold trimmings and the whole lot could have cost up to US$1 million, according to estimates by Economic Times.
Nita Ambani shows off her extravagant style. Photo: nitaambanioffical/Instagram
While Nita loves her trinkets, she loves fashion and beauty more. It’s reported that she has spent thousands of dollars on customised lipstick, tailored to match her fabulous outfits.
As for the clothes themselves, she is often pictured in the most exquisite Indian outfits, be it a sari, ghagra or shalwar kameez – each is heavily embroidered, custom-made and part of a collection likely to be worth millions.
Nita Ambani (second from left) and her Himalayan Birkin handbag, flanked by Bollywood actresses Karisma and Kareena Kapoor. Photo: @ambanifamily/Instagram
Nita is evidently happy to share the love – the media went wild when she reportedly gifted her daughter-in-law, Shloka Mehta, a 407-carat necklace as a wedding gift – titled the L‘Incomparable and certified by Guinness World Record’s as the most necklace valuable on the planet at US$55 million.
A high-flying private jet lifestyle: Nita with her gifted Airbus A319. Photo: @nitaambanioffical/Instagram
Last but not least, it’s impossible not to talk about her fleet of vehicles. For her birthday last year, Nita received a Airbus A319 that cost US$60 million from her husband Mukesh, according to Reuters. In return, she gave him another supercar to add to the family’s 168-car garage at their Mumbai home Antilia, in the shape of a Maybach 62 – with an estimated price tag of US$730,000.
She co-owns the Mumbai Indians, the IPL’s most valuable team, boasts a US$60 million Airbus A319 and an Hermès Himalaya Birkin handbag worth US$350,000, and bought hubby a Maybach 62 car for his birthday
