Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Reliance Foundation’s Vantara in Gujarat’s Jamnagar to open the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre. PM Modi was accompanied by Anant Ambani, director on the boards of RIL and the Reliance Foundation, for his tour of the enormous plant.While Anant Ambani’s Vantara has received the ‘Prani Mitra’ National Award, India’s highest distinction in animal welfare, in the ‘Corporate’ category, he has frequently stated that the initiative is very important to him. Nita Ambani, the founder and chairman of the Reliance Foundation, and his mother have also stated that Vantara was created out of Anant Ambani’s desire to give back to nature.AdvertisementPrani Mitra highlights the outstanding work of the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT), a Vantara-based group committed to elephant rescue and care.Anant Ambani addressed Reliance employees at a commemoration event in Jamnagar in January, sharing his vision for the city, his great love for animals, and his determination to realising the ambitions of his father, Mukesh Ambani, and grandfather, Dhirubhai Ambani.During his remarks, Anant stated: “I am convinced that in 25 years, when India commemorates its centenary of independence, we will collectively elevate Jamnagar’s prestige and honour to unprecedented levels.”“Vantara exemplifies Reliance’s commitment to animal welfare as much as it does to human welfare. It embodies our ‘We Care’ philosophy,” he said.During the Vantara launch, Anant Ambani stated in an interview with News18 that “animal welfare is something that drives my cause.”“There are a lot of people working [for human welfare] but in animal welfare, there are few people working. I think I was the chosen one and I was fortunate enough that with God’s blessings… that I could do Seva of animals. For me, in today’s life, you can’t see God but I see God within every animal. They say in our dharm that in a cow, there are 64 crore ‘devtas’. But for me, not only in a cow, but I see God in every animal. So it’s my attempt to give back to society,” he said.AdvertisementHe had also called his mother the inspiration behind the initiative. “My mother has always been a great inspiration to me. My mother, when I was a young boy and we were going, I was, I think, 12 years old, we were travelling from Jaipur to Ranthambore. In the middle, on the road, we saw a young elephant with a ‘mahavat’ in the peak heat, and the elephant was walking a little weirdly,” he said.“So I told my mom, we should rescue it. So that was the first elephant. And we had no idea how to take care of elephants. We got the elephant, we kept it. And then we said, we’ll build slowly, slowly. Boond, boond se sagar banta hai. At that time, we did not even know what to feed the elephant. We would do what the ‘mahavat’ said. We had no scientific knowledge. We built scientific knowledge over a period of, I think, a decade and more. Today, we have a highly professional team, more than 300-400 professionals are taking care of the elephants.”Advertisement“Vantara means a star of the forest. Vantara is a beacon of hope and healing. With my youngest son Anant’s passionate leadership and our foundation’s support, Vantara is restoring balance and preserving the intricate harmony of life. In Vantara’s rescue and rehabilitation centres, over 2,000 species of animals from all over the world have found a home. Vantara is a reminder of the core Indian philosophy of empathy and respect for all living beings,” said Nita Ambani at the India House at Paris for the 2024 Olympics.Advertisement“Our sacred Vedas teach us to serve not only humanity, but also all forms of life on our beautiful planet…Another programme that I am especially proud of this year is spearheaded by my youngest son, Anant. From the time he was a little boy, Anant has shown us how to be gentler and more compassionate as humans,” she said at the Reliance Industries Limited AGM in 2024.About VantaraAnant Ambani launched Vantara, an ambitious wildlife preservation initiative that is backed by Reliance Industries and the Reliance Foundation. Vantara, located within the Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, India, covers 3,000 acres and acts as a refuge for mistreated, wounded, and endangered animals. Vantara is a comprehensive rehabilitation institution that offers its residents a natural and supportive atmosphere.AdvertisementThe Vantara program, the first of its type in India, was conceptualised and launched under the guidance of Anant Ambani, Director on the boards of RIL and the Reliance Foundation.More from India
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As PM Modi visits Vantara, Anant Ambani explains why he built the project for wildlife welfareEnd of Article
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‘Vantara, a beacon of hope and healing’: Nita Ambani, son Anant on need to nurture the nature
