Ganeshotsav 2024: Anant Ambani comes on board Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati Mandal

Anant Ambani with the family idol. File pic

Industrialist Mukesh Ambani's son has come on board the mandal of Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati. Anant Ambani has been given honorary membership of Mumbai's iconic ‘King of Lalbaug', also popularly called Navasacha Ganpati (wish fulfilling Ganpati). At the recently held annual general body meeting of the mandal, the proposal to offer honorary membership to Anant Ambani was tabled and approved.

"The committee has given the go-ahead for his honorary membership. The decision has been taken at the AGM. The honorary membership will be extended every year with the approval of the general body," said a senior member of the mandal on condition of anonymity to mid-day.

The member further said that the Ganpati mandal has been engaged in charity work from the donations it has been receiving during the Ganpati festival. However, during the lockdown when the paucity of funds affected the charity work, Ambani and his family stood rock solid with the mandal. The mandal received nearly 24 dialysis machines from the Reliance Foundation and Anant Ambani, too, contributed to the Rugna Sahaya Nidhi Yojana.

Besides, Bollywood stars, politicians, sports personalities, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita and mother Kokilaben are regular visitors to the Lalbaugcha Raja pandal. For the past few years, Anant Ambani had noticeable participation in the various activities of the mandal.

"Donations from the Ambani family have helped the mandal continue with its charitable activities and that too without any interruption. Also, Anant Ambani has been actively participating in mandal activities. Hence, the decision to issue honorary membership and that too with approval from the general body was taken," the member said.

mid-day tried reaching out to the corporate communication team of Reliance Industries Limited for their comment. However, they refused to comment on the same. This is not for the first time that the mandal has given out such a honorary membership. Prior to Anant Ambani, veteran journalist Kiran Nabar was given a similar membership. Nabar was associated with the mandal for over two decades. However, in early 2000 Nabar passed away and since then there has been no such membership allotted to any individual.

History of the mandal

Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal was founded in 1934 at the Lalbaug market. The mandal was founded by a group of local fishermen and traders to celebrate the Ganesh festival.