Hillary Clinton arrives for lavish prewedding bash

NEW DELHI: Dozens of chartered planes carrying celebrities, including former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, flew into a sleepy airport in western India for the lavish prewedding festivities for the daughter of India’s richest man.

Isha Ambani (27), daughter of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, will marry Anand Piramal (33) in the financial capital of Mumbai on Wednesday, but the celebrations began this week end in the desert city of Udaipur, with feasts, singing and dancing, and other prewedding rituals.

Security was beefed up as the highprofile guests started arriving at Udaipur’s airport, said a source at the scene, who asked not to be identified.

The Clintons and the Ambanis have an association that goes back more than 18 years and have met several times in India and abroad.

Many other top industrial ists, politicians, sports and Bollywood stars descended in Udaipur on Saturday to join what has been dubbed locally ‘‘the big, fat Indian wedding.’’

Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and newlyweds actress Priyanka Chopra and singer Nick Jonas were among the guests.

Former head of advertising giant WPP, Martin Sorrell, BP Group CEO Bob Dudley, Huf fington Post founder Arianna Huffington, 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch and Saudi Energy Minister Khalid AlFalih are also invited.

Guests for the celebrations, which will bring together two of India’s most influential families, have access to an app mapping out the activities, which include a private concert by Beyonce.

Many in India, where millions live in dire poverty, have closely followed the preparations.