When it comes to grand weddings, Indian celebrations are some of the biggest. And taking things to a whole new level of extravagance are the billionaires, who will not think twice about flying in Beyonce for a performance.
Festivities begin this week in Jamnagar, a city in the west Indian state of Gujarat, for the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's nuptials. The three-day event, set to feature performances by pop star Rihanna, Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh, Bollywood music duo Ajay-Atul and American illusionist David Blaine, is only a precursor to the main wedding on July 12 in Mumbai.
Anant is the youngest son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, chairman of international conglomerate Reliance Industries Limited and one of the richest men in the world.
Top business leaders including Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, as well as politicians, royalty, cricket stars and Bollywood celebrities will be attending the celebrations in Jamnagar, where the Ambanis operate one of the world's largest oil refineries.
But it remains to be seen if Anant will top his sister Isha's 2018 wedding. Spread across three cities, one including a private performance by Beyonce, the week-long nuptials had India obsessed and generated headlines around the world.
Here are some of the most expensive Indian weddings.
1. Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal: 7 billion rupees ($86 million)
Mukesh Ambani, whose net worth is estimated to be $42 billion, left no stone unturned to give his only daughter a wedding to remember. With celebrations spread across Udaipur, Lake Como in Italy and then at the Ambani home in Mumbai, the star-studded celebrations in 2018 were reported to have cost 7 billion rupees.
Wedding invitations came in a Dolce & Gabbana box, adorned with pink and gold lace and detachable chains that could be worn as jewellery.
Beyonce was rumoured to have been paid $15 million for a 45-minute appearance, which featured a number of costume changes. Meanwhile, the wedding bash in Udaipur, known for its palaces, had the who's who of Bollywood in attendance, from Priyanka Chopra Jonas to Salman Khan.
A separate reception in Mumbai had even more stars in attendance, from Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone to Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and even Hillary Clinton.
Isha gave birth to twins Aadiya and Krishna in November 2022.
2. Sushanto Roy and Seemanto Roy’s double wedding: 5.54 billion rupees
Before his fall from grace, former Indian billionaire Subrata Roy was known for throwing lavish parties and socialising with Bollywood stars and cricketers. The founder and chairman of then multibillion dollar conglomerate Sahara India Pariwar went all out for the wedding of his only children, sons Sushanto and Seemanto, who both tied the knot in a double ceremony in 2004.
Sushanto married Richa Ahuja on February 10, while Seemanto got hitched to Chandini Toor on February 14.
The fairy tale wedding at the Sahara Stadium in Lucknow featured lavish decorations. Spread across a week, more than 11,000 guests were in attendance, including a host of Bollywood celebrities and sports stars. Also noteworthy was a simultaneous ceremony that Roy hosted at the venue for 110 women who could not afford their own weddings.
3. Brahmani Reddy and Rajiv Reddy: 5 billion rupees
Criticised for throwing a lavish wedding for his only daughter in the midst of a cash flow crisis in India, mining baron and former politician Gali Janardhana Reddy's 5 billion rupees party made the headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2016.
The five-day celebration held at the Bangalore Palace for Reddy's daughter, Brahmani, and husband Rajeev Reddy, the son of Hyderabad business tycoon Vikram Dev Reddy, culminated with a wedding ceremony attended by 50,000 guests, including Bollywood stars and politicians.
Reddy spared no expense for the nuptials, which featured re-creations of ancient Indian temples designed by Bollywood art directors, luxury bull-drawn carts to transport guests and huge helium balloons bearing larger-than-life images of the family, according to media reports.
Three thousand security guards were recruited, and the bride’s wedding sari alone cost 170 million rupees, or $2 million. The gold-plated wedding invitations also cost a small fortune. It featured an LCD screen with a video of the couple and the politician lip-synching to an Indian song.
4. Shristi Mittal and Gulraj Behl: 5 billion rupees
Taking a cue from his brother, steel tycoon Laksmi Mittal, Pramod Mittal also left no stone unturned for the wedding of his daughter, Shristi Mittal, to investment banker Gulraj Behl in 2013.
Held in Barcelona, the three-day celebration had 500 guests and included a menu catered by Spanish celebrity chef Sergi Arola, as well a 60kg, six-tier wedding cake. About 200 butlers and cooks were flown to Spain from India and Thailand for the occasion.
The main ceremony was held at the National Museum of Catalan Art on top of a hill. Helicopters were hired so photographers and videographers could capture the celebrations from all angles. Pramod Mittal was declared bankrupt in June 2020.
5. Vanisha Mittal and Amit Bhatia: 2.4 billion rupees
Theirs was the wedding that started it all – a true statement of wealth, and one that set the template for big, fat Indian weddings.
Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal threw what was then the biggest wedding bash ever known for his only child, daughter Vanisha, as she tied the knot with London banker Amit Bhatia in 2004.
Held across various locations in Paris, the six-day celebration featured a performance by Kylie Minogue, as well as Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Renowned Bollywood poet and writer Javed Akhtar even scripted a play that was performed by the Mittal family at a pre-wedding ceremony.
Following an engagement party at the Palace of Versailles, the wedding was held at the 17th century Vaux le Vicomte palace. More than 35 craftsmen were flown in from Mumbai to erect a mandap, or the stage where the wedding ritual is performed, on a pond in the sprawling gardens of the estate, India Today reported.
Elephants made of fibre glass, minarets and a huge reception hall done up in pink were also put up, with florists flown in from the Netherlands. The evening ended with special fireworks launched from the Eiffel Tower.
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
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Company name: Farmin
Date started: March 2019
Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: AgriTech
Initial investment: None to date
Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
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A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Company%20Profile
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More on Quran memorisation:
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Specs%20
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The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
If%20you%20go
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