On Her Birthday, Nita Ambani Announces ‘Anant Ashray’: 100-Acre Township To Be Lifelong Home For 5000 Orphans, Elderly And People With Disabilities

Mumbai: On her birthday, Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani has announced an ambitious plan to create a first-of-its-kind inclusive township near Mumbai that will offer a permanent home to thousands of vulnerable citizens. The announcement of the project, named ‘Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray’, on Saturday was followed by a ‘Bhumi Pujan’ and groundbreaking ceremony at the proposed location in Karjat.

The township, envisioned as a lifelong, not-for-profit institution spread over nearly 100 acres, is designed to become a sanctuary for over 5000 residents, including orphaned children, senior citizens and persons with developmental disabilities. As per information shared by Reliance Foundation, once fully developed, along with caregivers, medical professionals, support staff and their families, the community is expected to grow to around 15,000 people. The development will take place in a phased manner and remains subject to all necessary statutory approvals.

At the heart of the initiative lies Nita Ambani's personal conviction that every individual deserves to live with dignity, empathy and care. Rooted in Reliance Foundation's core philosophy of 'We Care', the project has been termed 'A Home for Every Life'.

Vision Rooted In Dignity And Family Life

Speaking at the ceremony, Nita Ambani (Founder and Chairperson of 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."

She further added, "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."

"With God’s blessings, deep gratitude for the gift of life, and the support of Mukesh and my entire family, I am laying the foundation stone of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray. It will have an orphanage for children, an old-age home for the elderly, and a lifelong home for children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities.

It will be a loving community for more than 5000 people – a home that will stand by them through every stage of life.

Every child deserves that love and security – even when they have no parent beside them. And those who have spent their lives caring for others deserve to be cared for in their old age, with affection, patience, and respect.

This home will be surrounded by nature, flora, and fauna, where compassionate care and medical support come together with the warmth of family life. Where there is someone who knows how each person likes their food, their favourite song, and what makes them smile – just like home and family! There will be a hospital and rehabilitation centre, with doctors, nurses, and therapists providing specialist care. 2 Gardens and shaded paths. Spaces for learning, music, art, and sport. Opportunities to work, make friends, make choices, and discover their abilities. And at the heart of this community will be a temple of our Ganpati Bappa – our Vighnaharta."

More Than An Institution: Living Community

Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray is being imagined as a vibrant, fully functioning township, which is unlike a conventional care facility. The masterplan envisages homes and streets, a temple and a hospital, playgrounds, gardens, farms and workshops, fostering an environment where residents live as neighbours rather than patients.

Residents will be accommodated in small, family-style homes supported by live-in house parents and dedicated caregivers. Each accommodation is intended to provide familiarity and personal belonging, with occupants encouraged to personalise their rooms with colours, photographs and cherished belongings. Every person will have a tailored care and development plan prepared in consultation with them and their families, covering healthcare, education, skills, employment, friendships and personal well-being. A dedicated worker will coordinate the support, with plans reviewed at least once every 6 months to ensure that care evolves from childhood through to old age.

In the announcement note, the Reliance Foundation stated that the township will be divided into 8 residential villages, each named after a sacred river of India. To promote independence and easy navigation, every village will be assigned a distinct colour, symbol and sensory garden.

The project also looks to integrate with the surroundings, with a temple, hospital, sports facilities and cafes envisioned to serve neighbouring villages. It is estimated that around 1000 people from the region will be able to access therapy, education and employment opportunities, while thousands more will benefit from respite care, outreach programmes and community healthcare services through family respite homes and mobile medical clinics.

Healthcare, Learning And Dignity Of Work

It is assured that a comprehensive ecosystem of care is planned within the township, which includes a specialised hospital offering developmental medicine, epilepsy care, special-needs dentistry and palliative care, alongside advanced rehabilitation facilities for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and hydrotherapy.

Recreation and self-expression will be central to daily life, with inclusive sports facilities and avenues for music, art, creative expression and sensory experiences. Education will be delivered through an inclusive ecosystem that combines special education with a mainstream school for children of staff members.

Another unique dimension is an animal companionship farm being developed with the expertise of ‘Vantara’, looking to nurture meaningful bonds between residents and animals. The vocational training and dignified employment will be offered through a bakery, cafe and craft studios, enabling residents to acquire skills, earn wages and experience the dignity of work. A national training academy is also proposed to strengthen India's disability-care workforce, while a dedicated hospice wing and garden of remembrance will provide compassionate end-of-life care in a peaceful setting.

The initiative is particularly planned for those who are abandoned, alone or in need of lifelong care, including people living with developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy and complex medical conditions that require continuous specialist support, which is often difficult to access outside major cities. The township hopes to offer reassurance for families who have spent years caring for loved ones with limited access to specialised services.

Above all, Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray aspires to be a place where no one feels alone, where every life is valued, and every individual has a home to call their own for life.

About Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited, the organisation aims to play a catalytic role in addressing India's development challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions. Led by Nita M. Ambani, it works across rural transformation, education, health, sports for development, disaster management, women empowerment, urban renewal and arts, culture and heritage, having touched the lives of over 100 million people across more than 98,000 villages and urban locations.

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