Who was Kareem Bhai Ibrahim, man who donated land for orphanage where Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani’s Rs 15000 crore Antilia stands, he bought land in…, Ambanis bought it for Rs…
New Delhi: Mumbai has always been a goldmine for heritage and cultural exploration. From its film city to old Parsi and colonial houses, beaches, museums, and classical architecture, the ‘City of Dreams’ attracts people from all over India and the world. The city also endorses many architectural marvels. Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia is one of them. The 15000 crore super luxurious building stands out not only for its opulence but also for the controversies that surround it.
Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani’s magnificent mansion ‘Antilia’ was valued staggering USD 4.6 billion in 2023. Located in the heart of Mumbai, Antilia is more than just a house—it’s a spectacle, an architectural wonder, and a symbol of the Ambani family’s immense wealth.
What if we tell you that this 27-story skyscraper, owned by Reliance Industries boss is built on land originally designated for charity and religious education? According to AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, the land where Mukesh Ambani resides was once meant for the orphaned and underprivileged.
Antilia stands on a Waqf property?
Back in 1895, a wealthy shipowner named Kareem Bhai Ibrahim donated the land, where Antilia stands, to establish an orphanage called the Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Yateemkhana. The orphanage was set up to offer shelter and education to orphaned children, with a strong emphasis on religious and moral values.
By 1986, this property was reportedly transferred to a trust under the Waqf Board, a charitable institution responsible for managing Muslim religious endowments. The land, thus, was meant to benefit the public by housing orphaned children and providing them with education.
It was in the year 2002, the Waqf Board decided to sell the land. But here’s where things get murky. The land, once valued at approximately USD 18 million, was sold to a commercial entity associated with Mukesh Ambani’s family for just USD 2.5 million.
The Waqf Board, along with several local politicians, initially opposed the sale, arguing that the land should not be sold to a private party, especially at such a low price. But despite these objections, the sale was eventually approved, and the construction of Antilia began.
All you need to know about Kareem Bhai?
- Kareembhai Ibrahim was a wealthy shipowner.
- The 4,532-square-metre (1.120-acre) plot on which Antilia is built was previously home to the Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Yateemkhana (Kareembhai Ibrahim Khwaja Orphanage).
- Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Yateemkhana belongs to a charity run by the waqf board.
- The orphanage had been founded in 1895 by Currimbhoy Ebrahim, a wealthy shipowner.
- The trust requested permission to sell this land in 2002, and the charity commissioner gave the required permission three months later.
The charity sold the land allocated for the purpose of education of underprivileged Khoja children to Antilia Commercial Private Limited, a commercial entity controlled by Mukesh Ambani, in July 2002 for Rs 210.5 million (US$2.5 million)
The prevailing market value of the land at the time was at least ₹1.5 billion (US$18 million).
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