RF Founder Chairperson | Reliance Industries Limited

Nita M. Ambani

Founder-Chairperson, Reliance Foundation

Nita M. Ambani is an educationist, philanthropist, businesswoman, patron of the arts, champion of women and children’s rights, and a noted proponent of sports.

She is the Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, India’s largest corporate philanthropic foundation, which has impacted the lives of ~76 million people across India through its initiatives in Rural Transformation, Health, Education, Sports for Development, Disaster Response, Arts, Culture & Heritage and Urban Renewal.

Nita Ambani provides leadership to 14 schools that educate around 14,500 children annually. She is also the Founder and Chairperson of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, which has been ranked as the no. 1 international school in India for the last nine years and is also ranked among the top IB schools in the world.

She is also Chairperson of Reliance Foundation Institution of Education and Research, which has set up the Jio Institute, envisioned as an exemplary multi-disciplinary university providing a world-class platform for research, innovation, and lifelong learning. The Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship Programme, which enables students to pursue higher studies, has supported over 12,700 scholars, 20 per cent of whom are specially-abled and 50 per cent of whom are girls.

Nita Ambani is a strong believer in the incredible power of women and has placed women at the heart of all her work. Through the various initiatives of Reliance Foundation, she seeks to empower women in India with resources and opportunities. On International Women’s Day 2021, she launched an inclusive, collaborative, diverse, interactive, and socially-conscious digital platform for women called Her Circle. The platform now has an overall reach of 592 million+ and launched its Hindi version on March 8, 2022.

Nita Ambani firmly believes that education and sports are the bedrock of any young, modern and dynamic society. The Reliance Foundation’s Sports initiatives and its grassroots programmes, such as the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports, Reliance Foundation Young Champs and Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA have cumulatively reached out to over 22.9+ million children and youth across India.

Nita Ambani is the co-owner of Mumbai Indians, who are five-time champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), making them the most successful IPL team. She is also the Founder and Chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited that launched the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2014, which has revolutionised football in India. She was the first Indian woman to be elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2016. In February 2022, she successfully led India’s winning bid to host the IOC Session 2023 in Mumbai, bringing the Olympic Movement back to India after 40 years. She was unanimously re-elected as the IOC member from India in 2024. Under her leadership, Reliance Foundation in partnership with the Indian Olympic Association launched the first-ever India House at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Nita Ambani leads Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, which provides international quality, affordable healthcare. It is the largest gold certified green hospital in Mumbai. The hospital has been at the forefront of India’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and set up the first dedicated COVID hospital in Mumbai, providing free-of-cost top-quality medical care to the affected. Reliance Foundation’s various health initiatives have reached over 9.29 million people. Nita Ambani is also on the Advisory Board of Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health and on the Board of Visitors of the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The Reliance Foundation Drishti programme has gifted vision to over 21,200 people through corneal transplants and its international Braille newspaper in Hindi has been in publication for over 10 years, across India and 15 countries.

Nita Ambani is committed to preserving and promoting India’s art, culture and heritage and is the first Indian Honorary Trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Reliance Foundation has sponsored the exhibitions, Phenomenal Nature: Mrinalini Mukherjee (2019) and Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs (2017 - 2018), at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and previously showcased the works of Nasreen Mohamedi (2016), the renowned Indian abstract artist. Reliance Foundation also sponsored the exhibition ‘Gates of the Lord – The Tradition of Krishna Paintings’ at the Art Institute of Chicago (2015).

Through the years, Nita Ambani has received many awards and honours. Along with RIL CMD Mukesh D. Ambani, she has been recognised for her efforts in empowering millions across India and named a "titan" in the Time100 Philanthropy 2025 list. The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) honoured her with the 2023 Global Leadership Award for Philanthropy and CSR. Fortune India ranked her among India’s ‘50 Most Powerful Women in Business’ (2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020) while Business Today Magazine featured her among ‘India’s Most Powerful Women in Business’ (2021 and 2020). The US magazine, Town and Country, recognised Nita Ambani as one of the world's top philanthropists in 2020. Nita Ambani was awarded the ‘Best Corporate Promoter of Indian Sports’ by the Times of India in 2019 and 2018. She received the prestigious ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Award’ by the President of India in 2017 for the outstanding work of Reliance Foundation in sports for development. She was also conferred with the ‘Pravinchandra V. Gandhi Award for Excellence in Public Life’ by the Rotary Club of Bombay and was awarded ‘The Global Philanthropist and Leader of the Year Award’ by Vogue India magazine.

Nita Ambani was also honoured by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2017 for her philanthropic work, becoming the first South Asian to receive this accolade. Forbes Asia magazine ranked her amongst ‘Asia's 50 Most Powerful Businesswomen’ in 2016.

Nita Ambani is a Commerce Graduate from Mumbai University and a diploma holder in Early Childhood Education. She is also on the Board of EIH Limited (The Oberoi Group).

Reliance foundation Founder Chairperson Nita Ambani On Philanthropy, leadership, sports, and family in an exclusive interview with CNBC

Know more

Transcript

[Music]

Visual Slide 1: Nita Ambani with hands joined in a namaste gesture, acknowledging appreciation in an auditorium setting.

[Tanvir]: She's been a patron and visionary in the world of art her entire life. And now she's founded one of Mumbai's newest cultural destinations.

Visual Slide 2: Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), Mumbai, showcasing it as a hub for world-class performances and cultural experiences. The CNBC conversation with Nita Mukesh Ambani.

[Tanvir]: One of India's top business leaders, Nita Mukesh Ambani, sits down with me for the CNBC Conversation.

Visual Slide 3: Interview between Tanvir (Presenter) and Nita Ambani (Chairperson, Reliance Foundation)

[Tanvir]: Hello and welcome to the CNBC Conversation I'm Tanvir Gill coming to you from Mumbai in India. I'm standing inside the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre and I'm here to meet the business leader who started it all. Nita Mukesh Ambani is often described as one of the most influential and prominent women in India. She's part of the Ambani family married to Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, the multinational conglomerate that has businesses across many sectors, from energy and petrochemicals to telecommunications. They even own the media company Network 18, parent company of CNBC TV 18, in India. Reliance is India's most valuable company and Mukesh Ambani is the richest person in Asia as of 2023. The couple have been married for nearly four decades and up until August 2023, Nita Ambani sat on the board of Reliance Industries. She stepped down to focus on her role as Founder-Chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, a non-profit organisation with a mission to have a positive impact on society. She weaves philanthropy into her other passions as well, including arts and sports. She co-owns the Mumbai Indians, one of the most successful cricket teams in the Indian Premier League. And as for the arts, she's an Honorary Trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Nita Ambani is a professional dancer by training; so when the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai opened its doors in a star-studded event, she took to the stage to give a performance to the Hindu devotional song, popularised by the late Mahatma Gandhi -Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram. In her first and down interview with a major TV network in 15 years, I met Nita Mukesh Ambani at the new cultural centre. Mrs. Ambani is wonderful to have you in the CNBC conversation. Thank you very much for joining us.

[Nita Ambani]: I'm pretty excited and lovely meeting you, Tanvir.

[Tanvir]: Mrs. Ambani you're finally at the NMACC in the Grand Theatre with this stunning stunning backdrop, so it's only right for me to start by asking you how and when did you get the idea of setting up this cultural centre?

[Nita Ambani]: Actually, the seeds for the cultural centre probably were sown when I was a young girl. I was 6 when I started learning bharatnatyam. It's a classical Indian dance form. And you know when you graduate from learning bharatnatyam, you go on stage for the first time, it’s called the Arangetram. My father was looking at places to kind of see where I could perform. At that time there were not so many facilities or platforms for emerging or a mature artist.

[Tanvir]: Right.

[Nita Ambani]: So, my father couldn't afford a theatre. So, I finally did Arangetram in a temple in Mumbai.

[Tanvir]: Really…Wow.

[Nita Ambani]: So, I think the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre is actually a dedication to all the mature, emerging artists. I visited Australia for the cricket world cup. And we as tourists went to see the Sydney Opera House.

[Tanvir]: Right. And at that time, I thought, why can't India have something like this of its own?

[Nita Ambani]: So, the idea really sparked off at that time in Australia.

[Tanvir]: In Australia.

[Nita Ambani]: Yeah, and it's taken us now a decade to bring this to life.

[Tanvir]: What was the greatest challenge that you faced in setting up this facility?

[Nita Ambani]: The pandemic. I think world came to a standstill. All our priorities changed. All our resources and energy went after supporting and looking after our people in India. Travel was so restricted.

[Nita Ambani]: All our loans were extended because we were getting 154 costumes from I think 10 museums across the world. So, everything changed. In fact, I had so many online meetings. And my daughter Isha was expecting at that time. And I told her Isha, I think the first words your children are going to say is NMACC.

[Laughs]

[Tanvir]: That's so sweet. When I entered the premises and I entered the building, I also saw the SWADESH exhibition.

Visual Slide 4: The visuals show a traditional handloom artisan weaving fabric inside the exhibition space, highlighting live craftsmanship and intricate textile work. Close-up shots capture the artisan’s focused effort and the detailed weaving process. The segment also features signage reading “Reliance Foundation presents SWADESH,” reinforcing the initiative’s branding and cultural focus. The exhibition setting reflects India’s handloom heritage and traditional artistry.

[Tanvir]: SWADESH meaning one's own country. And it was really heartwarming to see the hand-loom artisans weaving their magic. And so, I want to ask you about what's your objective behind this initiative and how far do you want to take it?

[Nita Ambani]: SWADESH is really a heartwarming experience. It was set up again to show our appreciation to our age-old arts and crafts. We are so blessed to have this heritage and legacy. In 2015, I went to Nathdwara, that is our temple town in Rajasthan. And there they practiced the age-old Pichwai art. It's one of the oldest living art forms in the world. And as I was speaking to the artisans, I realized that there's no way of sustenance for them. Many of them have left there, you know, they learnt this art at the feet of the grandfather or great grandfather. But they're now becoming sewage cleaners, brick layers. And that's where Reliance Foundation stepped in. And then of course, now, you know, the world is waking up to the art of Pichwai. So, I think it is a wonderful art form. During COVID, we took up Paithani weavers who work in Maharashtra. And throughout three years, they weaved more than 1,000 sarees for us for Diwali gifting. And they were so happy because they said we didn't realize what happened outside our little village. So, I think that was where I thought Swadesh should get the global recognition that the artisans would deserve. We are planning to take Swadesh globally. Also, we are setting up digital-skilling platforms for these artisans to enable them for their sustenance and livelihood.

[Tanvir]: I also want to talk about, you know, of course, we are right now in the Grand Theatre. And this is as grand as it gets Mrs. Ambani. But there are two other smaller theatres as well in the facility. The Studio Theatre as well is The Cube. What plans do you have for them?

[Nita Ambani]: They actually are the soul of the NMACC.

Visual Slide 5: Wide shots of the NMACC Grand Theatre reveal a modern, tiered auditorium with warm lighting and expansive seating, highlighting the centre’s world-class performance infrastructure.

[Nita Ambani]: You know, they are small, intimate, flexible places. But they have cutting edge technology. They are probably the best sound and the light possible to have in small theatres. It's a very immersive experience when you're there, both for the audience and for the artist. And it's wonderful to experience all the new mature artists performing at the Cube or the Studio. And I've enjoyed watching folk music from Rajasthan, from Gujarat, Classical music, Carnatic music, it makes me kind of so joyous.

[Tanvir]: You're coming alive as you're talking about it.

[Tanvir]: You're glowing as you're talking about it. [Laughs]

[Nita Ambani]: So, I think those are really wonderful small theatres for the young emerging artists. And also, for established artists, they all love performing at the Studio.

Visual Slide 6: Tanvir addresses the camera at NMACC as “COMING UP” appears on screen, previewing the next segment.

[Tanvir]: Still ahead, Nita Mukesh Ambani, on her visit to the White House.

[Nita Ambani]: Oh, it was the excitement was palpable. The Indian diaspora, just like you, are doing such wonderful things. They're conquering the world. I get goosebumps even thinking about it now.

[Tanvir]: And India's bid to host the Olympic games.

[Nita Ambani]: We are absolutely ready. Just like we would love to have Olympics in India. Olympics also cannot ignore the 1.4 billion people of India.

Visual Slide 7: Animated blue graphics with sound waves and the word “CONVERSATION” appear on screen, introducing the interview segment.

[Tanvir]: The Reliance Foundation was founded in 2010 as a philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries. As founding chairperson, Nita Mukesh Ambani leads the organization's initiatives that support a wide range of causes, including rural transformation, female empowerment and disaster management. During the pandemic, the Foundation provided millions of free meals to lower-income communities across India. And built the country's first ever COVID-19 Health Center in the Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai. The Ambanis also believe health and empowerment come via sports. Nita and Mukesh Ambani founded the cricket team, the Mumbai Indians, with Nita Ambani taking on a management role that oversees both the men and women's teams. Most recently, the women's team won the 2023 inaugural Women's Premier League. Mrs Ambani,he Reliance Foundation over the years has invested in many causes, education, child welfare, women's empowerment, gender equality. And so, I want to understand from you which causes closest to your heart and why?

[Nita Ambani]: You know, that's a difficult question. Tanvir. Reliance Foundation has reached out to 70 million people in India. And it's present in all the states of India.

Visual Slide 8: Mumbai Indians women team crew members.

[Nita Ambani]: For me, I think a nation's development depends on women empowerment and the well-being of its children and the transformation through sports. I think these three are key to a developed nation. With the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, we are offering employment to one million women to ensure that they get income of one lakh or more. So, I think women's empowerment is something very, very dear to my heart.

[Tanvir]: And you're investing a lot of time, effort and energy when it comes to building women in sports. About time you think that people started taking women's sports seriously?

[Nita Ambani]: Absolutely. The story of women in sport is a story of triumph. You know, level playing fields on the playground is so important. You know, we invested in the women's cricket team and we won the championship. And through my girls in cricket, I've learned of the challenges that all the girls face in sport. And in spite of that, Indian girls have done so well on a global platform. So, it's a story of the unstoppable girls of India.

[Tanvir]: I do want to talk about Mumbai Indians. It's been a glorious run for the franchise. They've done so well for you. So, how do you look back at the journey with Mumbai Indians? Because you literally built this team from scratch and have brought it to this level.

[Nita Ambani]: It's a long story. But in short, I took up the management of Mumbai Indians in year three. and I was all of 44 years old when most sports people retire. [Laughs] And, you know, those were times that I was learning to kind of know what this game is. And I had my mentors trying to teach me the nuances of cricket. And today it's a different story. You know, I can make out pace bowling, spin bowling, wrist spin, leg spin.

[Tanvir]: You know, the lingo.

[Nita Ambani]: I know the lingo. Whereas, when I started, I probably couldn't even differentiate between a spin bowler and a pace bowler. So, it has been a wonderful journey of spreading joy and positivity to millions of people who enjoy cricket and watch Mumbai Indians.

[Tanvir]: What is your own outlook on India's sports infrastructure? And how ready is India to host the Olympics?

[Nita Ambani]: We absolutely ready. People are waking up to the potential of India. And I think just like we would love to have Olympics in India, Olympics also cannot ignore the 1. 4 billion people of India. So, it's a win-win for both. I hope in the near future, the youth of our country would be able to say proudly that, you know, we are hosting the Olympics in India.

[Tanvir]: So, how high is the chance? How high is the probability that India would get on to the rota of hosting the 2036 Olympics?

[Nita Ambani]: I am strongly rooting for it. So, I'm very optimistic. I'm by nature, I'm an optimistic person. So, I'm waiting for the day. And hopefully I'll see it in this lifetime.

[Tanvir]: You were recently at the White House for the state dinner that was hosted for Prime Minister Modi, President Biden, allow us to be a fly on the wall and tell us what was the mood like on India because there was some of the brightest minds in the world in that room!

[Nita Ambani]: Oh, it was the excitement was palpable. The Indian diaspora, just like you, are doing such wonderful things. I mean NASA, media, science, technology, they're conquering the world. And you could see that, you could feel that in the room. It was, I get goosebumps even thinking about it now. And so much enthusiasm in the diaspora around the world. They're so proud to say we are Indians and that's something that touches your heart.

[Music]

[Tanvir]: Up next, Nita Mukesh Ambani speaks about her husband, Mukesh Ambani, the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries.

[Nita Ambani]: I tell my children all the time that the single most important decision you make in your life is choosing the right life partner. And I am so blessed to have Mukesh, who is my best friend and my life partner.

[Music]

[Tanvir]: Dance has always been important to Nita Mukesh Ambani.

[Tanvir]: In fact, it led her to her husband, Mukesh Ambani, when his parents attended a dance function and then sought her alliance for their son. The couple married in 1985 and now are the heads of one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the world. Looking beyond the glitz and glamour in all the boardroom action, I speak with Nita Mukesh Ambani about her personal growth and leadership journey. Mrs. Ambani, you have been a professional dancer for nearly five decades. What has dance taught you about leadership?

[Nita Ambani]: First and foremost, I think dance is a form of devotion for me. It's my meditation, my time with divinity. And I think I'm truly blessed that I could follow my passion for the last 50 years. And I still feel the same excitement that I did when I was a young girl, waiting backstage for my chance to come on stage. I think dance teaches you so much about leadership. I think it teaches us compassion.

[Background Music]

[Nita Ambani]: It teaches us instinct, discipline, dedication, patience. And also, I think dance has years of wisdom. So, it's taught me so many lessons and I'm still learning.

[Tanvir]: Mrs. Ambani, 40 out of those 50 years, very special for you because obviously you had an incredible personal and professional journey, where there has been Mr. Mukesh Ambani, who's the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries. What have each of you taught the other about leadership?

[Nita Ambani]: You know, I tell my children all the time that the single most important decision you make in your life is choosing the right life partner. And I am so blessed to have Mukesh, who is my best friend and my life partner. We have learned so much from each other. Mukesh, as I say, has the floodlights in life. He thinks far ahead of his times. While I get into the meticulous details, he calls it the spotlights.

[Laughs]

[Tanvir]: That's wonderful, I think.

[Nita Ambani] And you know, we've enjoyed the journey of life raising our children and now our grandchildren. I think both of us want to do the best, not only for a family and the Reliance family, but for the people of India.

[Tanvir]: I want to extend that point a little bit further, Mrs. Ambani, because it also holds true for your family. You know, on the outside, the perception is largely driven by the wealth, the fame, the power, but you're on the inside. You live it every day. And so, I want to ask you, what's that something that you wish people knew about your family?

[Nita Ambani]: That we are still very imbibed in Indian culture and traditions.

Visual Slide 9: A smiling family portrait of Nita and Mukesh Ambani with their children, seated together in a warm, informal setting.

[Nita Ambani]: We live in a joint family, so I have my mother-in-law, my mother, my sister, my children, their wives, and their children all living under one roof. And Isha calls it community living.

[Tanvir]: That's really sweet.

[Nita Ambani]: Mukesh and me still love doing the same things that we used to when we were young. So, he takes me for a drive. We love listening to Hindi music, eating street food. I love my bhel on the road. And he loves his dosa and idli. So, we still love doing what we used to love doing. So, these are the values that we kind of really live every day of loving our family. And respecting our elders, being honest, humble, I think, not much has changed.

[Tanvir]: You're one of the top business leaders of the country, Mrs. Ambani, of India. Your daughter Isha Ambani is also a young business leader who's coming into her own. And so, this is a very important question for you. What must be done to cultivate more women leaders at the top? And how can we improve more female representation in board rooms?

[Nita Ambani]: I think that's a very important question Tanvir. I think I'm very, very proud of what Isha is doing. She's a young mother of twins now, yet she was hands-on for the launch of NMACC. And now she's leading our Retail (business). But I think for girls to learn that they are equal, they have to see it at their homes. They have to have mentors at home to know that they're not anything less than boys. I have never differentiated between Isha, Akash and Anant. Whatever my boys could do, my daughter could do too. So, level playing fields for all our girls. All our young girls are breaking, shattering glass ceilings. So, give them the opportunity and they will shine. I think that there are so many things in the corporate world like equal pay that I think is a necessity again. That we need to implement.

[Tanvir]: Yeah, Mrs. Ambani. Speaking of board rooms, you recently stepped down from the board of Reliance Industries. And there's been a lot of talk to the rounds about succession planning at the group. What are your expectations from the next generation of leaders at Reliance, your children and grandchildren? What kind of leaders do you want them to be?

[Nita Ambani]: I think Akash, Isha and Anant, and a whole lot of the young generation is going to be the next leadership for Reliance and for India. In all three of them, I see different qualities.

Visual Slide 10: Nita Ambani with Mukesh Ambani and their sons and daughter at a formal Reliance event.

[Nita Ambani]: In Anant, my youngest, I see him as a compassionate young man who believes in conservation, who believes in making the world a better place. Akash is leading the digital revolution through Jio. And Isha is leading retail besides taking active interest in Reliance Foundation. All three of them are very, very committed to working in Reliance. They have their own strengths. And I always tell them that concentrate on your strengths and make that stronger. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Nobody is born perfect or nobody can be perfect. And it's okay to make mistakes. You learn much more from your mistakes than you do from your successes. Be humble, be compassionate, treat people with respect and I'm very happy for the new young generation that is growing at Reliance.

[Tanvir]: Mrs. Ambani as we wrap up this conversation, we have to wrap up with the last classic question, which is what does Mrs. Nita Mukesh Ambani, the person. So, forget the titles, forget the externalities. What does Nita Mukesh Ambani, the person want her legacy to be.

[Nita Ambani]: You know, through all the work that have done, what have enjoyed the most is setting up institutions. The Dhirubhai Ambani International School, the Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai Indians, now NMACC. So, I think the legacy should be of creating institutions where we nurture our youth. And we joyously impart knowledge and we celebrate diversity and our roots and to leave the world as a better and a happier place.

[Background Music]

[Tanvir]: Mrs. Ambani Thank you very much for sitting down for the CNBC Conversation. We really appreciate your time.

[Nita Ambani]: Thank you so much.

[Tanvir]: Tanvir speaks directly to the camera at NMACC, concluding the segment and wrapping up the program.

[Tanvir]: That's all that we have for you on this edition of the CNBC Conversation. For more, head to our website, CNBC.com for now I’m Tanvir Gill signing off. Thanks very much for watching.