From sports to education and Beyond: Nita Ambani Highlights reliance Foundation's Impact

At the 47th Annual General Meeting of reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Nita Ambani, founder and chairperson of the reliance Foundation, shared the organization's significant strides across sports, education, and the arts.

Addressing the shareholders, Nita Ambani expressed her pleasure at reflecting on the collective achievements. “It’s an honor to stand before you and share our journey of growth, innovation, and the mission to uplift millions across India. Our progress across various programs is noteworthy, and today, I want to highlight key areas of our work at the reliance Foundation.”

She praised the indian athletes who competed in the paris Olympics 2024, emphasizing their stories of resilience and dedication. “Their spirit, which rises against all odds, embodies the essence of India. As corporates, citizens, and parents, we must support and empower this youthful spirit, as greatness is achieved through persistent effort.”

Nita Ambani outlined the foundation’s sports mission: “Our goal is to establish india as a global sporting powerhouse. To achieve this, we are developing a strong sporting ecosystem that supports athletes from grassroots to elite levels. It’s essential to start young, ensuring every child in india has the Right to Sport alongside the Right to Education.”

Under her son Akash’s leadership, the education and sports for All program has reached nearly 23 million youngsters across India. Initiatives like reliance Foundation youth sports and Young Champs nurture talent from an early age, preparing them for various levels of competition. High-performance centers in Maharashtra, Odisha, and Bengaluru offer world-class training, infrastructure, and sports science support.

She highlighted the successful hosting of the 141st ioc Session in mumbai in october 2023, marking the return of the Olympic movement to india after 40 years. During this session, prime minister Narendra Modi announced India’s bid for the 2030 youth Olympics and the 2036 Summer Olympics, and cricket’s inclusion as an Olympic sport for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Nita Ambani, a member of the international Olympic Committee, expressed her commitment to supporting these Olympic aspirations. The reliance Foundation’s efforts include collaborating with the ioc on the Let Us Move campaign and Olympic Values education Programme, aiming to spread Olympic values to children and teachers.

She also recounted the foundation’s role in hosting india House at the paris Olympics, celebrating indian culture and heritage. The House, which welcomed over 40,000 visitors, was praised by a French journalist as a potential gold medalist if such a category existed.

On the education front, Nita Ambani expressed her deep connection to teaching and pride in her daughter Isha’s commitment to education.