Nita Ambani announces 100-acre lifelong care home for orphans, seniors, disabled people

Reliance Foundation founder and chairperson Nita Ambani on Sunday announced plans to establish a 100-acre township in Karjat, near Mumbai, to provide lifelong residential care to more than 5,000 orphaned children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Named Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray, the proposed not-for-profit institution will offer residential accommodation, specialised healthcare, education, rehabilitation and opportunities for employment and personal development.

Ambani performed the Bhumi Pujan and groundbreaking ceremony at the proposed site on November 1, coinciding with her birthday. The project will be developed in phases, subject to necessary regulatory approvals.

According to Reliance Foundation, the township is expected to support a larger community of approximately 15,000 people, including residents, caregivers, medical professionals, support staff and their families.

𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱

The township will comprise eight residential villages, each named after a sacred Indian river. Every village will have a distinct colour, symbol and sensory garden to help residents recognise and navigate their surroundings independently.

Residents will live in small, family-style homes supported by dedicated caregivers and house parents, rather than in conventional institutional accommodation.

Each resident will receive an individualised care and development plan covering healthcare, education, vocational skills, employment, friendships and personal well-being. Dedicated workers will coordinate care, with plans reviewed at least every six months.

The proposed township will also include a temple, hospital, playgrounds, gardens, farms, workshops and recreational facilities.

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Reliance Foundation said the project would bring healthcare, education, rehabilitation and vocational training together within a single residential community.

The planned facilities include a specialised hospital, rehabilitation centres, inclusive schools, sports facilities and vocational spaces such as bakeries, cafés and craft studios.

Medical services are expected to include specialised support for people with developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy and complex health conditions requiring continuous care.

The township will also feature family respite homes, mobile medical clinics, a national training academy for disability-care professionals and a hospice wing with a garden of remembrance.

An animal companionship farm is also proposed as part of the residential environment.

𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗯𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁

The foundation said the township would extend services beyond its residential population by making certain facilities accessible to neighbouring communities.

Approximately 1,000 people from surrounding areas are expected to benefit from therapy, education and employment opportunities. Mobile healthcare services, outreach programmes and respite care are also planned for families in nearby districts.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambani said the initiative was intended to provide a secure and supportive environment for people requiring lifelong assistance.

"We envision a community where compassionate care and medical support come together with the warmth of family life," she said.

Ambani added that the project was particularly important for families concerned about the future care of children and adults with disabilities.

She expressed hope that the initiative would give such families confidence that their loved ones would continue receiving care, companionship and support even when their parents or primary caregivers were no longer able to provide it.

The foundation said the township would be developed as a permanent community where residents could live with dignity, independence and a sense of belonging, rather than being treated solely as patients requiring institutional care.