Our Bureau
Mumbai
The country is buzzing about the glittering wedding of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, who married Radhika Merchant, the daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, both prominent business figures. The wedding was one of the most highly anticipated and costly weddings worldwide.
Even with four months of extravagant events leading up to the wedding, featuring luxurious attire, beautiful accessories, fairytale decorations, and performances by Indian and international celebrities, this wedding still does not hold the title of being the most expensive in the world.
Given the focus on the lavish event, it’s worth mentioning that the title for the costliest wedding in the world is claimed by an Indian family only. Numerous weddings around the globe have competed for the distinction of being the most expensive affair, including the marriage of Prince Charles and Diana, which supposedly had a price tag of $110 million. Likewise, the marriage between Said Gutseriev of Russia and Khadija Uzhakhov is also known as one of the priciest weddings.
The Guinness Book of Records reports that the costliest wedding of all time was an Indian affair — the marriage of Vanisha Mittal, daughter of steel tycoon Lakshmi Niwas Mittal.
Indian business tycoon Lakshmi Niwas Mittal is one of the richest people globally, having a net worth of over Rs 1.38 lakh crore. Mittal, the executive chairman of ArcelorMittal, possesses about 38% ownership in the company, which produced $53 billion in revenue in 2020.
Vanisha Mittal, Mittal’s daughter, was born in 1980 and has established herself in the business world. She graduated from the European Business School with a Bachelor of Science degree and currently acts as a non-independent director at ArcelorMittal. She started off at LNM Holdings, taking charge of different projects in the Procurement division before moving on to the Board of Directors at Mittal Steel in December 2004.
In April 2011, Vanisha made a move into Aperam, broadening her professional presence. Nonetheless, she caught the public eye at the age of 24 years while tying the knot with businessman Amit Bhatia in 2004. Their marriage, hosted at the Palace of Versailles in France, was a lavish event lasting six days and amounting to over Rs 240 crore then, which equals more than Rs 550 crore today.
The extravagant wedding made international news with luxurious elements including appearances by Kylie Minogue, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aishwarya Rai, choreography by Farah Khan, and catering by Chef Munna Maharaj. The occasion showcased the Mittal family’s status and significant wealth.
