India fosters wedding industry, urging rich to party at home

NEW DELHI -- As Anant Ambani, 29, the youngest son of Asia's wealthiest man, Mukesh Ambani, prepares to tie the knot with businesswoman Radhika Merchant on July 12 in Mumbai, rumors are rife that this may be the country's most expensive wedding to date.

It looks that way, if the pre-wedding events are anything to go by. In March, Mukesh and his wife, Nita, hosted a lavish three-day pre-wedding celebration for Anant and Radhika in the western Indian state of Gujarat at an estimated cost of $150 million. The huge event featured performances by international pop stars Rihanna and Akon, while the guest list included Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, along with Indian business tycoons, politicians and Bollywood celebrities, according to local media.