Who is Radhika Merchant, Mukesh-Nita Ambani's future daughter-in-law?
On Sunday, Mukesh and Nita Ambani hosted a dazzling Arangetram ceremony for Radhika Merchant, their son Anant's future spouse, at Jio World Centre, Mumbai. The razzmatazz of the evening was heightened by the presence of several popular faces, including Bollywood celebrities like Ranveer Singh, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan. Let's dive deeper into Merchant's life and take a look at her work and career.
What is 'Arangetram' ceremony?
The word Arangetram finds its roots in Tamil and implies the completion of a classical dancer's formal, rigorous training. It is the first time the dancer showcases their craft in front of the audience. Merchant's event implied the successful culmination of her Bharatnatyam training.
Take a look at Merchant's powerful performance
Merchant hails from predominant business family
Merchant, who has been publicly spotted with the youngest Ambani son often, was born to Viren and Shaila Merchant on December 18, 1994. Her father is a predominant businessman in the pharmaceutical industry and is the chief executive officer of Encore Healthcare, which was founded in 2002. Merchant is reportedly the company's chief executive director. She also has a sister named Anjali Merchant.
She has Political Science degree from New York University
Merchant has been a student at Cathedral and John Connon School, Ecole Mondiale World School, and BD Somani International School in Mumbai. These institutions are frontrunners when it comes to quality education and are ranked among the best in India's financial capital. For her undergraduate education, she opted for New York University where she earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science in 2017.
Merchant worked in various firms before joining family business
The soon-to-be Ambani family member reportedly interned at Cedar Consultants in Mumbai in 2016. Though the Ambani family has remained tight-lipped about her, several reports suggest that she has previously worked with firms like Desai & Diwanji and India First Organization. Subsequently, she also worked with Isprava, a real-estate firm, before following suit after her father and joining the family entrepreneurial venture.
She has been learning Bharatnatyam for years
Merchant, who showcased her prowess in Bharatnatyam on Sunday evening, has been learning the art form from Guru Bhavana Thakar for the past eight years. Thakar heads Shree Nibha Arts, which has been tutoring disciples for 25 years. During her performance in front of the who's who of Mumbai, she incorporated all the traditional elements of the Arangetram, such as Pushpanjali and Ganesh Vandana.
Connection with the Ambani clan
The trained classical dancer is regularly spotted with the Ambani family and registers her presence during every instrumental event. She was also present at the wedding celebrations of Isha Ambani with Anand Piramal and Akash Ambani with Shloka Mehta. She was papped during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Antilia in 2019. Merchant accompanied her future in-laws to actor Armaan Jain's wedding in 2020, too.
