Laurene Powell Jobs, the 61-year-old American billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist, is scheduled to attend the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, according to multiple media reports.
Laurene, widow of Steve Jobs, is expected to stay at the camp of Swami Kailashananda, the Mahamandaleshwar of the Niranjani Akhara, as per a Times of India report. She plans to participate in various rituals and take a sacred dip at the Sangam.
During her 17-day stay, Powell Jobs will observe Kalpvas, a spiritual practice followed during the Mela.
The Mahakumbh, which starts from January 13 will culminate on February 26, and is expected to attract many prominent personalities from around the world.
In addition to Powell Jobs, other notable figures expected to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 include Sudha Murthy, Savitri Jindal, actress Hema Malini, Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, industrialist Naveen Jindal, businessman Gopichand Ahuja, ghazal singer Anup Jalota, and actor Rakhi Sawant.
India’s spiritual aura has long drawn influential figures from around the globe, with many seeking guidance from the country’s traditions.
Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, also visited India in the mid-1970s. During a period of personal and professional uncertainty, he travelled to Neem Karoli Baba’s ashram in Kainchi, Uttarakhand, seeking spiritual enlightenment. Although Neem Karoli Baba had passed away in 1973, Jobs spent time at the ashram, an experience that profoundly impacted him. He later attributed his vision of simplicity and focus — core principles of Apple's design philosophy — to this spiritual journey. Jobs also recommended the ashram to friends, including Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.
In 2015, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Facebook’s headquarters in the US, Zuckerberg shared that Jobs had suggested he visit the ashram to reconnect with his purpose: “He told me that in order to reconnect with what I believed was the mission of the company, I should visit this temple in India.”
Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey has also spoken about how Neem Karoli Baba’s teachings, especially around mindfulness and meditation, have influenced his life and work. While Dorsey has not publicly mentioned visiting the ashram, he has frequently discussed the significant impact of Indian spirituality on his personal and professional journey.