MPW 2022: Nita Ambani and her lasting legacy

One look at the Reliance Foundation website is enough to tell you about the multitude of roles that Nita Ambani performs. The website says she is “an educationist, philanthropist, businesswoman, patron of arts and sports, and a champion of women and children’s rights”. Much as her job title is Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, the impact of her role is far-reaching. For instance, the foundation’s rural transformation programme covers over 350 districts across India, where its work in empowering communities to take collective action towards sustainable livelihoods had reached close to 15 million people by the end of August 2022.

In the sphere of education, there is Jio Institute, which currently runs postgraduate courses in AI and Data Science, and Digital Media and Marketing Communications, with plans to introduce more courses across levels. Under her leadership, the foundation also runs development programmes for sports, women’s empowerment, disaster management, etc. Apart from her work with the foundation, Ambani, who joins the BT Most Powerful Women in Business’s Hall of Fame this year, sits on the boards of Reliance Industries and EIH Limited, along with overseeing the Indian Premier League cricket team, Mumbai Indians. Ambani also serves as the Chairperson of Football Sports Development Ltd that owns and operates the Indian Soccer League.

@krishnagopalan