Newcastle University’s sustainability professorship to Anant Ambani draws sharp criticism

Newcastle University awarded a professorship of practice in sustainability to Anant Ambani, son of Reliance Industries tycoon Mukesh Ambani, sparking widespread criticism. The university announced the award on September 14, 2026, citing Ambani’s "significant contributions to advancing a more sustainable future" and his work at Vantara, a 3,500‑acre wildlife rescue centre that calls itself the world’s largest. Vantara, owned by Ambani, announced a major procedural reset last month after concerns over its rapid acquisition of animals, including endangered species, from around the globe.

Reaction

Lyla Mehta, a researcher at the Institute of Development Studies affiliated with the University of Sussex, said on social media on September 24 that the university was "stooping low" and turning sustainability into a mockery, adding that universities should question power, not grant academic legitimacy. She had earlier told The Guardian about the issue. Wildlife conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra told AFP that Vantara is a captive facility, essentially a zoo, and questioned its claim as a conservation site, urging protection of animals in natural habitats instead. She warned that the university’s move shifts the paradigm from habitat protection to animal accumulation in zoos.

Background

Anant Ambani also serves as an executive director at Reliance Industries, a retail and oil conglomerate led by his father. The controversy highlights tension between academic institutions, corporate influence, and genuine sustainability efforts.