RIL's Nita Ambani named in the Fortune list of 'most powerful women'

As India entered a state of lockdown in April 2020, Nita Ambani, the founder and chairperson of Reliance Foundation, convened a meeting of the top management team of Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai to analyse the pandemic's impact on the poor and marginalised. In collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, she established India's first specialised 250-bed Covid-19 treatment facility in Mumbai. With continuous oxygen supply, the capacity grew to over 2,000 beds over time. The treatment was provided for free to the patient. Nita concentrated on places where non-governmental organisations couldn't get to.

In addition, the organisation opened a Covid-19 testing lab with a daily capacity of over 15,000 tests. During the crisis, the team redesigned the Jamnagar complex to become India's largest producer of medical-grade liquid oxygen, as well as turning around the manufacturing facility to create over 1,00,000 PPEs and N-95 masks per day, bridging the import gap. With the support of the digital platform JioHealthHub, the foundation has vaccinated over 25 lakh people thus far. Across 100 districts, 19 states, and four union territories, it provided over 8.5 crore free meals to marginalised populations, daily wage earners, and frontline workers.

Throughout the year, a fleet of 20 animal ambulances provided nourishment and care for animals. Nita claims that the charity would keep working till every Indian is safe and immunised.

She says,"I am an eternal optimist. I believe together we can and will overcome, not just this crisis, but every challenge that comes our way, and emerge a stronger nation bound by shared dreams and aspirations."