Even Chaebols' Wives Step Up... India Truly Committed to Hosting 2036 Olympics [Paris Olympics]

Reliance Chairman's Wife Nita Ambani
Creates and Promotes India House at Paris Olympics
Indian PM Modi Pushes Hard for Hosting After Initial Setback

Nita Ambani, wife of Mukesh Ambani, chairman of India's Reliance Industries and known as the "richest person in Asia," attracted attention as she moved around various sites at the 2024 Paris Olympics. As India is making an all-out effort to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, he, one of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members, established an India House in Paris and took on the role of a "promotional ambassador."

On the 30th of last month, Nita Ambani (left) and Indian national shooting team member Sarabjot Singh are posing for a commemorative photo at India House in Paris, France. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

According to AP News and The Times of India, on the 6th, Nita Ambani met with three Indian national athletes who won bronze medals in shooting events at the India House in Paris: Manu Bhaker (women's 10m air pistol, 10m air pistol mixed team), Sarabjot Singh (10m air pistol mixed team), and Swapnil Kusale (men's 50m rifle 3 positions), congratulating them on their achievements.

Nita Ambani led the opening of India House at the Paris Olympics venue, promoting Indian culture through yoga and Bollywood dance classes. She appeared alongside her husband, Chairman Ambani, at the India House opening ceremony on the 17th of last month, stating, "When we light the flame first ignited in Athens on our ancient land." A screen inside India House reportedly displayed the message, "Make a wish for India to host the Olympics."

She also invited some IOC members, including Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), to the wedding of her youngest son, Anant Ambani, last month. Considering that the Olympic host city is selected through IOC member votes, this is interpreted as a preliminary effort to influence the decision for the 2036 Summer Olympics host city. The wedding venue was the Reliance-owned convention center in Mumbai, where the IOC annual meeting was held a year ago.

India, which dispatched the largest number of athletes at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with 124 participants, sent 117 athletes to the Paris Olympics. India first participated in the Summer Olympics as part of the British team in 1900, four years after the modern Olympics began, and formed its independent team for the first time in 1920, participating in every Summer Olympics since then. Despite its population of 1.4 billion, India won only six medals at this Paris Olympics: one silver and five bronze.

Indian national team athlete Manu Bakar taking a commemorative photo with Oh Ye-jin and Kim Ye-ji in the women's 10m air pistol event at the Paris Olympics on the 28th of last month.
[Image source= Xinhua Yonhap News]

However, India is actively pursuing the hosting of the 2036 Summer Olympics, leveraging the country's economic growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After failing once to host the 2032 Summer Olympics, Modi clearly expressed his intention to bid for hosting rights during his speech at last year's IOC annual meeting held in India, calling the Olympics "India's long-held dream." Although he did not specify a city, Ahmedabad, a western Indian city with the world's largest stadium, is strongly considered.

Foreign media interpret Nita Ambani's direct involvement in these efforts as reflecting significant interest in the growth of India's sports industry. Reliance has recently acquired stakes in cricket teams, considered India's Premier League, and the Indian football league, as well as being involved in managing the media network Viacom18, which handles sports broadcasting. In this context, if the Indian sports market gains global attention and investment, Reliance stands to benefit greatly.

In this environment, the IOC recently announced that Indian companies are expected to become major sponsors soon. Currently, only 15 companies, including Samsung Electronics, hold the top-tier Olympic sponsorship contracts. These sponsors contributed a total of $740 million (about 1.02 trillion KRW) in cash and services last year. The IOC stated, "We would warmly welcome a new major sponsor from India," and expressed confidence that this would happen soon.

AP News interpreted this as "a sign that India's influence, showing interest in hosting the Olympics, is growing." Countries interested in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics include T?rkiye (Istanbul), Germany, and Indonesia, according to AP. Seoul has also recently mentioned the possibility of bidding for the 2036 Summer Olympics.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.