Reliance Foundation to Establish Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray: A 100-Acre Township Offering a Lifelong Home to 5,000 People, Including Orphaned Children, Senior Citizens and Persons with Developmental Disabilities
· Free Press Journal
Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, today announced the establishment of Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray, a unique initiative envisioned as a lifelong home for orphaned children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities, offering them a life of dignity, care, comfort and purpose, supported by comprehensive healthcare and opportunities for personal growth.
Smt. Nita Ambani performed the Bhumi Pujan and groundbreaking ceremony today at the proposed site in Karjat, near Mumbai. Spread across approximately 100 acres, Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray is envisioned as a permanent, not-for-profit institution that will be developed in phases, subject to all necessary approvals.
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At the heart of this initiative is Smt. Nita Ambani's deeply held belief that every life deserves dignity and every individual deserves empathy, compassion and care. Rooted in Reliance Foundation's philosophy of 'We Care', this vision will find a deeply meaningful expression in Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray: A Home for Every Life.
Speaking at the Bhumi Pujan ceremony, Smt. Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, said, “For me and my family, Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray is a beginning very close to our hearts. It is a step towards building a loving home for people with disabilities, children who need a home and seniors who seek care and comfort. We envision a community where compassionate care and medical support come together with the warmth of family life, where people live surrounded by nature, with opportunities to learn, work, make friends, and experience the joy of festivals and celebrations.”
“As a mother, my deepest hope is that parents who have spent a lifetime worrying about who will care for their children when they are no longer there can find peace in knowing that their child will always have a home and a family of their own. Above all, we hope Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray gives every person, at every age, the chance to live with dignity and look forward to each new day with hope,” she added.
A Home Away From Home
Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray is envisioned as a thoughtfully designed, inclusive township that will provide a lifelong home to more than 5,000 residents, including people with developmental disabilities, orphaned children and senior citizens. Together with caregivers, medical professionals, support staff and their families, the township is expected to support a community of approximately 15,000 people.
More than an institution, Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray will be a vibrant, caring community where residents live as neighbours, not patients, with the warmth, security and belonging of a family. The township will have homes and streets, a temple and a hospital, playgrounds, gardens, farms and workshops, creating an environment where every individual has the opportunity to lead a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Residents will live in small, family-style homes, supported by dedicated house parents and caregivers. Each home will be designed to offer comfort, familiarity and a sense of personal belonging, with residents encouraged to personalise their rooms with colours, photographs and cherished belongings.
Every resident will have an individualised care and development plan, prepared in consultation with them and their families, covering healthcare, education, skills, employment, friendships and personal well-being. A dedicated key worker will coordinate care, with plans reviewed at least every six months to ensure that support evolves with individual needs, from childhood through old age.
The proposed township will comprise eight residential villages, each named after a sacred river of India. Every village will have its own distinct colour, symbol and sensory garden, helping residents recognise and navigate their surroundings with greater ease and independence.
Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray will also seek to become an integral part of the surrounding community. Its temple, hospital, sports facilities and cafés are envisioned to serve neighbouring villages, while approximately 1,000 people from the region are expected to access therapy, education and employment opportunities. Thousands more will benefit from respite care, outreach programmes and community healthcare services.
Comprehensive Care, Healthcare and Opportunities for All
Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray will bring together specialised healthcare, education, rehabilitation, recreation and meaningful employment opportunities within a nurturing and inclusive environment.
The proposed facilities and services include:
· Family-style residential homes with live-in house parents and dedicated caregivers, offering stability, comfort and personalised support.
· A specialised hospital providing developmental medicine, epilepsy care, special-needs dentistry, palliative care and comprehensive medical support.
· Advanced rehabilitation facilities offering physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and hydrotherapy.
· Inclusive sports and recreational facilities, including opportunities for music, art, creative expression and sensory experiences.
· An inclusive educational ecosystem, bringing together special education and a mainstream school for children of staff members.
· An animal companionship farm, developed with the expertise of Vantara, to nurture meaningful interactions between residents and animals.
· Vocational training and employment opportunities, including a bakery, café and craft studios, enabling residents to develop skills, earn wages and experience the dignity of work.
· Family respite homes and mobile medical clinics, extending care and support to families and communities in nearby districts.
· A national training academy dedicated to strengthening India's disability-care workforce through specialised training and capacity building.
· A dedicated hospice wing and garden of remembrance, providing compassionate end-of-life care in a peaceful and dignified environment.
Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray is envisioned as a place of hope and belonging for those who are abandoned, alone or in need of lifelong care. It will seek to support families who have devoted years to caring for their loved ones, often with limited access to specialised services or respite.
For people living with developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy and complex medical conditions, particularly those requiring continuous specialist care, Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray aims to provide the support, security and opportunities that are often difficult to access outside major cities.
Above all, Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray aspires to be a place where no one feels alone, every life is valued, and every individual has a home to call their own, for life.