Aspirational Inspiration

Aspirational Inspiration

Come Sunday morning (June 29, 2025, IST) global media would find it easy to fill up space and time. They must be working on the superlatives to be used to describe the things that went on in excess in the Venetian wedding of Jeff Bezos and his partner.

If I remember correctly, Lakshmi Mittal may have started this trend for the wedding of his son or daughter, I do not recall, in Paris (?), France. That was in the spirit of the times, The Great Indian Wedding! Not to be outdone, Mr. Mukesh Ambani threw a grand celebration of the wedding of his daughter/son (I have difficulty remembering the sci of the super rich). That is another of The Great Indian Weddings! Mr. Adani is chomping at the bit, waiting for his chance. That did not come out well, as he is already married. I was taking about the wedding of his son/daughter. That would complete the Indian troika.

Suppose it is an Indian USD billionaire’s son, would the billionaire demand that the father of the bride foots the total bill? That would be so cheap. But, do not put it past the small group that comprises Indian USD billionaires! Even, say, a thousand among 1.4 billion is only 0.00007142%! Truly, less than a minuscule!   

Where India has reached, would the westerners like to be seen not to be reaching for? God forbid. I am not very sure of the chronology but my general thesis would stand. Perhaps it was the umpteenth wedding for the multi-billionaire, Fox Chairman Emeritus, Mr. Rupert Murdoch. I think the nuptials in Bel Air, California reached the truly rock bottom city/location for the wedding of a billionaire. Yet, it was a billionaire’s wedding, to be taken note of by the tabloids and also the broadsheets, not to speak of the sundry websites, seeking a few clicks.

Then, from California, we go to Venice. George Clooney was 53 when he tied the knot (I think westerners have resurrected an old Celtic tradition, merely to be seen as being competitive with the customs of Indians, tying the knot). It was a four day affair, couched in secrecy (the current US Defence Secretary was not in on it; he might have given it away through Signal)!

Mr. Elon Musk, though the world’s richest man does not stand on ceremonies. It is only ceremonies. He would rather spend his wealth on bringing up scores of his children. Though Mr. Richard Bronson is a billionaire, and other than splurging his wealth on Virgin Galactic, and perhaps buying some super yachts, has started planning for the weddings of his scions. He has a son and a daughter. Looking at Jeff Bezos, Mr. Bronson has already started planning for the wedding of his scions. And, it should be in Greenland, and President Donald J. Trump would be invited but not welcome!

I have mentioned a six pack (or more) of richest-o’-the richest and that should be enough for the post. The others, who are a rung or two below will now aspire to join the club.

That is, these richest-o’-the richest are the inspirational clans for the aspirational not-so-rich.

Raghuram Ekambaram