A host of influential Indian figures, from top government officials to business tycoons, will be attending Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony in Washington DC today. Among the attendees are Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, Reliance Industries' Mukesh and Nita Ambani, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, and several real estate developers with ties to Trump’s ventures in India. India’s official representation: S. Jaishankar S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, will be representing the Indian government at the ceremony. Jaishankar is carrying a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to present to President Trump, in a move to strengthen Indo-US relations. While PM Modi congratulated Trump after his election victory in December, he will not be attending the event himself. Indian business leaders: Mukesh and Nita Ambani Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, and his wife, Nita Ambani, are among the prominent business figures attending Trump's inauguration. They arrived in Washington DC on January 18 to participate in the inaugural functions. Their first official engagement was at the reception and fireworks display at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. The couple was among the Indian business leaders invited to a "candlelight dinner" a day before the inauguration. At the pre-inauguration dinner, the Ambanis posed for pictures with industry leaders and Trump. Tech industry: Sundar Pichai Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet, will also be attending. Real estate: Kalpesh Mehta, Pankaj Bansal, and Ashish Jain Several real estate leaders with strong ties to Trump’s business interests in India will be present at the swearing-in. Kalpesh Mehta, founder of Tribeca Developers and licensed partner for Trump Organization in India, is attending, as is Pankaj Bansal, Managing Director of M3M Developers, involved in the Trump Towers projects in Gurugram. Ashish Jain, Managing Director of Pune-based Kundan Spaces, will also be present. Cultural influence: Amit Bhattacharya’s absence Renowned Sarod player Amit Bhattacharya was invited but decided to decline the invitation due to Prime Minister Modi’s absence from the ceremony. The inauguration will take place amid a crowd of around 5,00,000 guests, including foreign dignitaries and heads of state, as Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance prepare to take the oath of office. The day will include musical performances and a parade, celebrating the inauguration with an international flair.
