VOA文化艺术2024--Asia's Richest Man Plans Costly Wedding for His Son（在线收听）

Mukesh Ambani is known as the richest person in Asia. This week, his son is getting married. But the celebrations and parties began several months ago.

In March, Ambani threw a three-day party before his son's wedding. The 1,200 guests included former world leaders, tech leaders, Bollywood movie stars, and even the singer Rihanna.

In May, the family took guests on a 3-day cruise from Italy to France. Well-known entertainers appeared on the cruise.

The main wedding will take place on July 12. Many observers have described it as the wedding of the year.

The groom is 29-year-old Anant Ambani. He will marry his longtime girlfriend, Radhika Merchant.

Who are the Ambanis?

Mukesh Ambani is 66 years old. Forbes magazine says he is currently the world's 9th richest man. The magazine reports he has a net worth of $116 billion. He is considered the richest person in Asia.

Ambani's business, Reliance Industries, combines several different businesses, from petrochemicals to telecoms. The Ambani family also owns a huge private apartment building in Mumbai, India. The building is worth $1 billion.

Ambani's critics say his company has done well mainly because of political connections to the Indian government in the 1970s and 1980s. It has also had good relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

The elder Ambani has started passing the business on to his two sons and daughter. The oldest son, Akash Ambani, is now chairperson of Reliance Jio, their telecoms business. Isha Ambani, the daughter, oversees the retail business. The groom, Anant, has become involved in the new energy business.

Who are the bride and groom?

Anant studied at Brown University in Rhode Island. He is managing the expansion of renewable and green energy interests for his family's business. He also runs a large animal rescue center called Vantara in Gujarat state.

The bride, Radhika Merchant is the daughter of pharmaceutical business leader Viren Merchant. She directs marketing for her father's company, Encore Healthcare.

Radhika told Vogue magazine that she met Anant through friends in 2017. "That first meeting just sparked something special between us, and it wasn't long before we started dating," she said.

Wedding on July 12

The main wedding ceremony is set for July 12, followed by a grand reception on July 14. There will be celebrations at both Ambani's Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai city and at their family home.

The family chose the dates using the Hindu custom for deciding lucky days.

Last week, videos appeared on Indian social media showing the couple's sangeet. That is a ceremony where the bride and groom's families perform dances for the guests. It included performances by Bollywood stars and pop singer Justin Bieber, who flew to Mumbai for the event.

The family also organized a mass wedding for more than 50 needy couples last week as part of the pre-wedding celebrations.

Words in This Story

groom - n. a man who has just married or is about to be married

petrochemical - n. a chemical that is made from petroleum or natural gas

telecom - n. a telecommunications company

story - n. a group of rooms or an area that forms one floor level of a building

bride - n. a woman who has just married or is about to be married

pharmaceutical - adj. of or relating to the production and sale of drugs and medicine

spark - n. a quality that makes someone or something enjoyable, interesting, or successful

reception - n. a social gathering to celebrate something or to welcome someone

custom - n. an action or way of behaving that is usual and traditional among the people in a particular group or place