This weekend, Asia’s richest person is throwing a pre-wedding party in India, and among the numerous US business executives and celebrities attending are Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sundar Pichai, along with Ivanka Trump.
The phalanx of technology, banking, and media magnates present for Mukesh Ambani’s three-day celebration highlights not only his worldwide clout but also India’s increasing significance to international corporations.
With a $111 billion fortune, Ambani, who holds a 42% share in Reliance Industries, is just behind the founders of Alphabet, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, ranking 11th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This weekend, he is throwing a celebration for his fiancée, Radhika Merchant, and his youngest son, Anant.
Due to his control over domestic trade, the centibillionaire is an invaluable ally for Western businesses attempting to enter the Indian market. In the past few years, Jio Platforms, Reliance’s telecom business, has received investments from Meta, Alphabet, Qualcomm, and Intel.
Rihanna Performs Rare Fan Favorites
Rihanna delivered a forceful set in Jamnagar on Friday, which included “Umbrella,” “Consideration,” and “Stay,” among others. Those who were not invited to the private pre-wedding celebration of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s son were envious of Rihanna’s performance.
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Friday night marked Rihanna’s first significant live appearance since her 2023 Super Bowl set in India. Thanks to a handful of gracious attendees who recorded the majority of the performance, footage of her performing uncommon fan favorites began to circulate on X, including “Consideration,” a song she shares with SZA, and “Stay,” which was released in 2012. “Umbrella” marks the beginning of her career.
By performing “Work,” “Birthday Cake,” “Pour It Up,” and “Pose” in the same sequence as she did in February, Rihanna incorporated elements of her quick-cut Super Bowl setlist and even borrowed some of the dance movements choreographed by Parris Goebel.
She dressed in a stunning green gown with bead embroidery and ended the evening with a fiery pink headdress, but there were no wardrobe changes. After the final song, the Ambani family came out on stage with her for an embrace and picture.
The concert marked the beginning of a three-day celebration honoring Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, whose wedding is not scheduled for later this summer. The event took place in the family’s hometown of Jamnagar, India. Numerous well-known figures, such as Mark Zuckerberg, Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, and Bill Gates, are reportedly invited.
Additionally, the country’s economic difficulties, the political and legal complexities associated with conducting business in China, and the protracted shutdown of Chinese factories throughout the pandemic have prompted numerous American corporations to expand their international presence and increase their dependence on India.
India is currently experiencing a financial and technological revolution as well. As incomes increase, an expanding number of Indians are adopting digital payments, online communications, and e-commerce.