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Odisha: Akash Ambani offers prayers at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri

Odisha: Akash Ambani offers prayers at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri

India Gazette29-05-2025
Puri (Odisha) [India], May 29 (ANI): Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL), offered prayers at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, late Wednesday night.
He visited the temple around 1:30 am and was warmly greeted. Later, he offered his prayers with all rituals and devotion.
On his visit, a Puri Jagannath temple priest said, 'His darshan was scheduled for yesterday, but due to a problem, it was postponed. He arrived today for darshan at Jagannath's temple at 1:30 PM. Visiting Jagannath's temple is of great importance. Since today is Wednesday, he arrived late for darshan, yet it was God's blessing that he could come, even if delayed. He was overjoyed to see Lord Jagannath for the first time.
After his darshan, he donated a temple to Lord Jagannath, presenting it to the PRO. We know he visited Jagannath and likely donated a significant amount, though the exact sum is not known, and we with be informed by temple authorities. His mother also donated a temple to Jagannath, a tradition of temple donations passed down through generations.'
Earlier in April, Akash Ambani visited the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala on Wednesday to offer prayers to Lord Venkateswara and seek blessings from the priests.
The temple, dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is one of the most visited religious sites in India, attracting millions of devotees annually.
In the visuals, Akash Ambani was seen wearing a red cloth around his body as he performed necessary rituals during his holy visit to the Lord Venkateswara Temple.
He was greeted with warmth and reverence by the temple priests.
Meanwhile, Akash Ambani recently spoke at the Mumbai Tech Week 2025 at the Jio World Centre and stressed the importance of AI in India's future. He said that Al will be the key driver of India's economic growth, helping the country achieve a 10 per cent or double-digit growth rate in the coming years.
During a fireside chat with Dreamll CEO Harsh Jain, Ambani stressed the importance of AI in shaping the future.
'I think Al is the biggest technology change that we have seen in our lifetime to date. And in my view, it is the engine that will empower India to grow at 10 per cent or double-digit growth numbers for the foreseeable future,' he said.
To make India a leader in AI, Ambani highlighted three fundamental areas of focus: AI infrastructure, research and development, and skilled talent. (ANI)
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