Reliance Foundation’s proposed 100-acre Karjat community will seek to provide care, dignity, companionship and opportunity for over 5,000 residents.
MUMBAI (India CSR): Smt. Nita M. Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, has announced the Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray, a proposed lifelong-care community in Karjat, near Mumbai. The announcement was made during the Bhumi Pujan and foundation-stone ceremony held on her birthday. The planned 100-acre township will be developed as a permanent, not-for-profit institution in phases, subject to necessary approvals.
Anant Ashray is envisioned as a lifelong home for orphaned children, senior citizens, and children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities. It aims to bring residential care, specialised healthcare, education, rehabilitation, recreation and meaningful work opportunities into one inclusive community.
In her address, Nita Ambani placed the emotional concerns of parents and caregivers at the heart of the project. She spoke about families who worry about the future of children requiring lifelong care, especially after their parents are no longer present.
“Anant Ashray is our humble effort towards answering those questions,” she said. The project is rooted in Reliance Foundation’s philosophy of “We Care.” It seeks to create a community where people are not defined by age, disability or dependency, but are supported as individuals with aspirations, relationships and personal choices.
A Mother’s Promise
Nita Ambani described the initiative as deeply personal and closely connected to her identity as a mother. She said every child deserves love, safety, good health and the reassurance of a caring family.
For children without parental support, Anant Ashray is planned as a place where they can grow up feeling protected, valued and encouraged to follow their dreams. The proposed township will include family-style homes, educational opportunities, gardens, sports spaces and creative activities.
The initiative also addresses the needs of elderly people who may require companionship, healthcare and respectful support in later life. Rather than operating as a traditional old-age home, the township is envisioned as a living community where seniors can continue to make choices, form friendships and participate in daily life.
A major concern addressed in Nita Ambani’s speech was the lifelong anxiety of parents whose children need continuing support. For many such families, the question is not only about medical care. It is also about who will understand their child’s preferences, emotions, habits and need for affection.
Anant Ashray seeks to respond to that concern through a model of continuity. The proposed community will have caregivers, doctors, therapists, educators and house parents working together to support residents through every stage of life.
Beyond Institutional Care
Reliance Foundation plans to create a community for more than 5,000 residents. Including caregivers, medical professionals, support staff and their families, the wider township could support approximately 15,000 people.
Residents are expected to live in small, family-style homes rather than large institutional blocks. Dedicated house parents and caregivers will support each household, creating familiarity, comfort and a stronger sense of belonging.
Each resident will have an individualised care and development plan. These plans are expected to cover healthcare, education, vocational skills, employment, friendships, emotional well-being and personal goals.
A dedicated key worker will coordinate the resident’s support and ensure regular reviews with families. The intention is to allow care to change as an individual’s needs evolve through childhood, adulthood and old age.
The township will comprise eight residential villages, each named after a sacred river of India. Every village is proposed to have its own colour, symbol and sensory garden, helping residents navigate their surroundings independently.
The campus will include homes, streets, gardens, farms, workshops, cafés, playgrounds, a temple and a hospital. The larger purpose is to create an ordinary, vibrant social environment where residents live as neighbours, not patients.
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Healing With Dignity
Healthcare will be a central pillar of Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray. The proposed specialised hospital will offer developmental medicine, epilepsy care, special-needs dentistry, palliative care and broader medical support.
Rehabilitation facilities are expected to provide physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and hydrotherapy. These services may support people living with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, developmental disabilities and complex medical conditions.
The proposed integrated-care model can reduce the pressure on families who often travel long distances for multiple consultations, therapies and medical services. It also seeks to ensure that healthcare is available without separating residents from familiar surroundings.
Education and creative expression are equally important in the planned township. The campus is expected to include special education facilities and a mainstream school for children of staff members.
Music, art, sport, sensory experiences and recreational activities are also proposed. These opportunities can help residents build confidence, discover abilities, make friends and participate more fully in community life.
The project will also include a hospice wing and a garden of remembrance. This reflects an understanding that lifelong care must include compassionate support during the final stages of life.
Nita Ambani’s vision combines specialist medical support with the warmth of everyday family life. She spoke of a place where someone knows a resident’s favourite food, song and smile.
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Belonging Through Life
At the heart of Anant Ashray is the idea of emotional belonging. The proposed community will encourage residents to celebrate birthdays, festivals, achievements and shared moments together.
Nita Ambani said the township would be a place where people can pray together, mark special occasions and stand beside one another during difficult times. The proposed temple dedicated to Ganpati Bappa will be a cultural and spiritual centre within the campus.
The focus on shared celebrations is significant. For people who have experienced abandonment, loneliness or exclusion, everyday rituals can create stability, recognition and emotional safety.
The surrounding natural environment is also central to the vision. Gardens, shaded pathways, flora, fauna and open spaces are proposed to make the township peaceful, accessible and restorative.
An animal companionship farm will be developed with the expertise of Vantara. The initiative is expected to offer residents meaningful interactions with animals in a safe and therapeutic setting.
The community will also seek to connect with neighbouring villages. Around 1,000 people from nearby areas may access therapy, education and employment opportunities through the proposed facilities.
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Purpose, Work, Hope
Anant Ashray is not planned only as a care facility. It also seeks to create opportunities for residents to learn skills, work, earn wages and make meaningful choices.
The township is expected to include a bakery, café and craft studios. These spaces can help residents develop vocational abilities, build confidence and experience the dignity of work.
Gardens, farms and workshops will offer additional opportunities for learning and participation. Such activities can support independence while helping residents contribute to the larger community.
Family respite homes and mobile medical clinics are also part of the announced plans. These services could support families in neighbouring districts who need temporary care, medical guidance and relief from continuous caregiving responsibilities.
A national training academy is proposed to strengthen India’s disability-care workforce. It will focus on specialised training and capacity building for caregivers and professionals.
Reliance Foundation’s broader work spans rural transformation, education, health, sports, disaster management, women’s empowerment, urban renewal, arts and culture. The Foundation says it has reached more than 100 million people across over 98,000 villages and urban locations.
Anant Ashray brings many of those priorities together through one long-term care ecosystem. It is a proposed community built around healthcare, inclusion, livelihoods, compassion and lifelong human connection.
Nita Ambani concluded her address by describing Anant Ashray as a mother’s prayer and offering to Bharat Mata. Its central message is clear: one home, one family and lifelong companionship.
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Reliance Foundation Plans a 100-Acre Lifelong-Care Township in Karjat – India CSR
