Nita Ambani Biography: Age, Family, Reliance

Key facts

Known for: Reliance Foundation, Mumbai Indians, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, IOC membership
Born: 1 Nov 1963, Bombay (now Mumbai)
Age: 63 years (as of 12 Nov 2026)
Spouse: Mukesh Ambani; children Akash, Isha and Anant

Early life and education

Nita Ambani was born Nita Dalal on 1 Nov 1963 in Bombay to Gujarati parents, Ravindrabhai and Purnima Dalal, and grew up in a middle-class family in the suburbs. She trained in Bharatanatyam from childhood and performed as a professional dancer.

She earned a commerce degree from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, then worked as a school teacher. She met Mukesh Ambani, son of Reliance founder Dhirubhai Ambani, and they married in 1985. She kept teaching for a few years after the wedding.

Career milestones

1985
Marries Mukesh Ambani
2008
Reliance buys the Mumbai Indians IPL franchise
2010
Founds Reliance Foundation
2014
Joins the Reliance Industries board; launches the Indian Super League
2016
Elected the first Indian woman member of the IOC
2023
Opens the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre; hosts the IOC Session in Mumbai
2024
Re-elected unanimously to the IOC

Reliance Foundation and education

Nita Ambani founded Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries, in 2010 and chairs it. Reliance says the foundation has reached about 76 million people through work in rural development, health, education, sport, disaster response, and arts and heritage.

She also founded Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai. In 1997 she worked on the company township for Reliance's Jamnagar refinery, a planned colony built to house more than 17,000 residents.

Role at Reliance Industries

She joined the board of Reliance Industries in 2014. In Aug 2023 she stepped down as a director to focus on Reliance Foundation, and the board made her a permanent invitee to its meetings.

Mumbai Indians and sport

Nita Ambani co-owns Mumbai Indians, which Reliance bought when the IPL began in 2008. The men's team has won five IPL titles: 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. The women's team won the Women's Premier League in 2023 and 2025. Through the club she leads Education and Sport for All, which says it has reached more than 100,000 children.

She also founded Football Sports Development Limited, which launched the Indian Super League in 2014. On 11 Nov 2026 Mumbai Indians signed fast bowler Arshdeep Singh in a trade with Punjab Kings, and she said he "adds an exciting dimension to our bowling attack."

International Olympic Committee

On 4 Aug 2016, at the Rio Olympics, she was elected to the International Olympic Committee, the first Indian woman to join it. She led India's successful bid to host the IOC Session in Mumbai in Oct 2023, the first held in India in about 40 years.

On 24 Jul 2024, at the 142nd IOC Session in Paris, she was re-elected unanimously with 100% of the vote. That summer Reliance Foundation and the Indian Olympic Association ran India's first India House at the Paris Games.

Arts and the NMACC

She opened the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) on 31 Mar 2023 inside the Jio World Centre at Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. It has a 2,000-seat Grand Theatre, the Studio Theatre, The Cube and a four-storey Art House for exhibitions.

On 8 Mar 2022 she launched Her Circle, a digital platform for women, and she backs the Swadesh initiative for Indian craftspeople. She is also a well-known art collector.

Nita Ambani: honours and recognition
Year	Honour	Given by
2016	Elected first Indian woman IOC member	International Olympic Committee
2016	Listed among Asia's most influential women business leaders	Forbes
2017	Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar	President of India
2018	Best Corporate Supporter of Indian Sports	Times of India Sports Awards
2024	Miss World Humanitarian Award	Miss World Organization

Personal life and family

Nita and Mukesh Ambani live at Antilia, their residence in south Mumbai. Their twins, Akash and Isha, were born through IVF about seven years after the wedding, and their younger son, Anant, was born three years later. Akash is married to Shloka Mehta, Isha to Anand Piramal and Anant to Radhika Merchant. She has four grandchildren.

She turned 60 on 1 Nov 2023 and marked the day with a temple visit and a meal for more than 3,000 children in Mumbai.

Net worth

There's no separate audited figure for her personal wealth, so we don't repeat estimates. The family's fortune sits mainly in its holding in Reliance Industries.

Legacy

Nita Ambani has turned Reliance's philanthropy, sport and arts work into some of India's most visible institutions, from Mumbai Indians to the NMACC. Her IOC role has also put her at the centre of India's hopes of hosting the Olympics. Read more Indian business biographies, including Ratan Tata and Sudha Murty.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Nita Ambani?

Nita Ambani was born on 1 Nov 1963 in Bombay (now Mumbai), so she is 63 years old as of November 2026.

Who are Nita Ambani's children?

She has three children with Mukesh Ambani: twins Akash and Isha, and a younger son, Anant.

What is Nita Ambani's maiden name?

Her maiden name is Nita Dalal. Her parents are Ravindrabhai and Purnima Dalal.

What does Nita Ambani do?

She is the founder and chairperson of Reliance Foundation, co-owner of Mumbai Indians and a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Is Nita Ambani on the Reliance board?

Not as a director. She stepped down from the Reliance Industries board in Aug 2023 to focus on Reliance Foundation, and attends board meetings as a permanent invitee.

Sources

Facts checked against the sources above by Tulasiram Pemmadi on 12 Nov 2026 (IST). Where reliable sources disagree, the article says so. Spotted an error? See our corrections page or email contact@nextplayintel.com.