Nita Ambani will lecture at the London School of Economics on the subject title, ‘Towards an Indian Renaissance: Building Institutions of Excellence’. She would deliver the ‘C+J Modi/Narayanan PhD Fellowship Lecture’ where the session would be chaired by eminent businessman Professor Lord Meghnand Desai.

Nita Ambani headed Dhirubhai Ambani International School aims to develop a new model for education at the school level in India. Nita Ambani provides leadership to 12 schools which educate 15,000 children. She led the ecological transformation of the Jamnagar Refinery site of Reliance Industries Limited and the establishment of a world-class township there. Nita Ambani serves on the Global Board of the World Economic Forum’s Global Health Initiative.

Nita Ambani has been working tirelessly in order to raise the living standards of the underprivileged and needy as part of the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation. She has supervised the development of villages around the Reliance projects personally along with taking a keen interest in the upliftment of people in the vicinity. Appreciating her phenomenal qualities of leadership, selfless service and innovative ideas, Nita Ambani was awarded with the Samaj Seva Vishwa Bhushan award.

Nita Ambani, first lady of Corporate India also plays the role of Chairperson of Reliance Foundation and IMG-Reliance joint venture and is the co-owner of Mumbai Indians. Being an educationist, social worker always values any initiative or institution that sprinkles hope and brings new sparkle and smiles to the lives of those who are not as blessed. For Nita Ambani educating and empowering these children and embedding self-esteem in them, is a joy forever.

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and the Oberoi family will increase their shareholding in East India Hotels by buying the unsubscribed portion of the Rs 1,300-crore rights issue, which was cleared by the hotel major’s board today. EIH has decided to form a committee to decide on the rights issue price, ratio and other procedural formalities.

It has been confirmed by dependable sources that RIL will be making an open offer after the rights issue, as its stake will go beyond the 15 per cent threshold mandated by the market regulator. And hence, RIL and the Oberois will eventually have an equal stake in EIH.

The impact of the Mukesh Ambani’s acquisition of a 14.8 per cent stake in EIH has had the share of the Oberoi’s drop down to 32 per cent from 46.43 per cent in August. Also, ITC, which holds 14.8 per cent, may not be interested in raising its stake. Similarly, Analjit Singh, who controls 4 per cent, will also prefer to exit EIH.

It has also been in news that EIH is planning to float two new companies. One would operate the hotel chain and would be controlled by EIH, while the other would hold the hotel chain’s assets and be controlled by RIL, with Nita Ambani, wife of RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani, drafted as vice-chairperson.
This is the icing on the cake for Mukesh Ambani as RIL will be in the driver’s seat as far as ownership of EIH is concerned, while the Oberois will operate the hotel chain. “It’s a deal between two friends – P R S Oberoi, who needs funds to expand his chain’s footprint abroad, and Ambani, who has the funds, and is happy to let the Oberoi family manage operations,” said a source.

The Oberoi’s, who are the pioneers of luxury hospitality in India, also manage the EIH Associated Hotels. This is another hotel company which is an equal-stake joint venture between them and the Raheja family, which has interests in real estate, the media and industrial batteries.

Now, with this rise in stake in the hospitality sector by RIL, Mukesh Ambani has made it pretty clear that his plans in the sector are long term and only time will tell how Reliance will be makes the best out of this venture as well.

The Real Heroes all represent an inspirational story of selfless service, these range from a mechanic in Jharkhand who has set up an orphanage with his own meager resources to provide education, food and shelter to children who were left orphans due to polygamy or alcoholism to a person who has been fighting to preserve the environment over the past three decades. From a hockey coach who is on a mission to train players free of cost to an 80 year old gynecologist who is fighting to rehabilitate mentally challenged women and provide them vocational training so they can be financially independent, and many more who have dared to stand up for the betterment of the society were awarded as the Real Heroes. Speaking on the initiative on behalf of Reliance Industries, Nita Ambani, President of the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation said, “I feel proud today – proud to be an Indian. I also feel proud of the ‘Indianness’ today. ‘Indianness’ that puts compassion, kindness and empathy before everything else. We salute the benevolence of these extraordinary people. They embody the purity of the human spirit.They may not have received the spotlight of publicity but their actions radiate the sunlight of generosity. Each of these stories is a font of inspiration. My Real Heroes friends you are our crusaders of hope. Thank you for this.”

Finally to conclude the sitting, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, IBN18 Network added, “Each one of these real heroes has performed extraordinary deeds to promote the welfare of their fellow citizens and society as a whole. Their path wasn’t easy and they have battled tremendous odds ranging from personal tragedy to social opposition and financial constraints. Yet the flame to make a positive impact has continued to burn bright and they have truly been the instruments of change. I would like to thank all our distinguished guests for their presence here in support of the Real Heroes of our nation”.

Then there is the Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) as well, the project that is closest to her heart. Also, there are the affairs of the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation, which she chairs, to go through. And, of course, the numerous family and other commitments that are part and parcel of being wife of Mukesh Ambani and the first lady of the RIL Empire.

Meeting with Neeta Ambani I hear is not the easiest of tasks. Many weeks and numerous calls later, one may be lucky enough to get a confirmation from her. So when you reach the clean, clutter-free and resplendent waiting room of her office, one cannot cease to wonder at the might of the Reliance Empire of which this may be a small yet significant part.

There are no hassles as with meeting with celebrities. No delays, No cancellations and definitely no last minute change of plans. Mrs. Ambani is a woman who respects time. Both hers and of others; and even while being in the midst of all the madness happening around her, Nita Ambani’s serenity is commendable.

“Everything at Reliance is always a bit of a whirlwind. So many things are happening all the time that you have to constantly shift focus,” she laughs, quoting the reason for all the wait and phone calls that had gone through to reach her.

Nita Ambani seems an accidental businesswoman. She got dragged into project execution almost two decades after she married Mukesh Ambani. Now she runs a not-inconsiderable enterprise with myriad activities. Most things she runs directly — the hospital and the school — are not technically businesses, unlike the Mumbai Indians franchise. But they are enormous and complex organizations nonetheless, employing hundreds of people.

They are private entities and trusts, so it is notoriously difficult to get an accurate handle on numbers. Intelligent estimates are, nevertheless, possible. It is estimated that over Rs 750 crore in revenues and over Rs 1,000 crore in annual investment budgets is being supervised by Nita Ambani which can definitely termed small.

While having the richest Indian for her husband, to being an idol in herself as well, Neeta Ambani will soon prove to be a valuable asset to even the reliance group which is headed by her husband, the mighty Mukesh Ambani. It would hence be quite interesting to witness the changes that Mrs. Ambani would bring along to reliance in case she thinks of joining in the brigade. But even for now, her efforts and accomplishments are the talk of the town and with her grace and business acumen, reliance industries limited may be well on its way to include hundreds of more ventures in the near future.