Earthshot ceremony to be held at Reliance centre in Mumbai — The Guardian
The annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony will be held on November 17 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India, which is part of the Reliance Industries conglomerate owned by the family of billionaire Mukesh Ambani. Environmentalists criticized the choice of venue over the company’s fossil fuel operations and controversy surrounding the private Vantara zoo, The Guardian reports.
The Earthshot Prize was founded by Prince William in 2020. Each year, it recognizes five winners who receive £1 million each to implement environmental projects.
Environmentalists’ concerns
Reliance Industries also owns a refinery in Jamnagar, which the publication describes as the world’s largest. The group’s charitable arm funds the 400-hectare private Vantara zoo, founded by Mukesh Ambani’s son Anant. The facility, located near the family’s refinery, houses more than 150,000 animals from over 2,000 species.
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Environmental organizations have raised questions about the speed at which Vantara assembled such a large animal collection, as well as the animals’ origins. A 32-member committee coordinating the work of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, asked India to submit an additional report on measures taken in response to concerns over the import of protected species. The committee also asked the CITES secretariat to review 11 cases in which unresolved questions remained regarding the transfer of animals to Vantara.
Earthshot’s explanation
Earthshot communications director Joanna Swift said the organizers had not sought a charitable partnership to hold the ceremony and were renting the Jio World Convention Centre at a standard commercial rate. According to her, the venue was selected because it could host an event of this scale in Mumbai, as well as for its technical infrastructure and experience organizing international events, including environmental ones.
Vantara has previously rejected allegations of illegal wildlife trade and said it engages in the rescue, treatment, lifelong care and rehabilitation of animals. Last year, India’s Supreme Court dismissed allegations of illegal animal acquisition or improper treatment. At the same time, a CITES mission in 2025 raised concerns about India’s compliance with international rules on animal imports.
