Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul visited Anant Ambani's Vantara following the end of Messi's GOAT India Tour on Monday. Pictures from the evening hosted by Anant Ambani has since gone viral, with Messi performing an aarti and seeking blessings, while also spending some time with the animals at the reserve.
Messi headed to Jamnagar following his visit to the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday afternoon. The 38-year-old was greeted by the Ambani family, with Anant Ambani and his wife Radhika. Pictures from the evening have since gone viral, with the footballers awestruck by the wildlife at Vantara.
Messi, accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, was welcomed in grand traditional style with vibrant folk music, a showering of flowers symbolising blessings and purity of intent, and a ceremonial aarti as per ANI.
The football legend also participated in a Maha Aarti at the temple, including Ambe Mata Puja, Ganesh Puja, Hanuman Puja and Shiv Abhishek, offering prayers for world peace and unity in keeping with India's timeless ethos of reverence for all living beings.
Following the welcome, Messi embarked on a guided tour of Vantara's expansive conservation ecosystem, home to rescued big cats, elephants, herbivores, reptiles and fostered young animals from across the globe.
He also visited the green energy complex and the world's largest refinery complex, where he expressed amazement at the scale and vision behind the operations.
At the care centre for lions, leopards, tigers and other endangered species, Messi interacted with animals thriving in enriched, naturalistic environments, many of whom approached him with curiosity.
He then visited the Herbivore Care Centre and the Reptile Care Centre, where he observed animals flourishing under specialised veterinary care, customised nutrition, behavioural training and husbandry protocols that reflect Vantara's global leadership in wildlife welfare.
During the visit, he also toured the multi-speciality wildlife hospital, witnessed real-time clinical and surgical procedures, and later fed the okapis, rhinos, giraffes and elephants.
At the Foster Care Centre, dedicated to orphaned and vulnerable young animals, Messi learned about their journeys of resilience. In a heartfelt gesture, Anant Ambani and Radhika Ambani together named a lion cub "Lionel," a name that now represents hope and continuity, given in honour of the football legend.
Responding in Spanish to Anant Ambani, thanking him for visiting Vantara and inspiring everyone selflessly toward animals and mankind, Messi said, "What Vantara does is truly beautiful, the work for animals, the care they receive, the way they are rescued and looked after. It is genuinely impressive. We had a wonderful time, felt completely at ease throughout, and it is an experience that stays with you. We will surely visit again to continue inspiring and supporting this meaningful work."
(With ANI Inputs)
