Guwahati: Savitri Jindal — chairperson emeritus of the OP Jindal Group and currently India’s wealthiest woman, attended a landmark cultural event in Guwahati as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma performed the Bhumi Pujan for a dedicated museum to house the sacred Vrindavani Vastra at Khanapara.
According to the Forbes Billionaires List 2025, Savitri Jindal has a net worth of 35.5 billion dollars, ranking third among India’s richest individuals after Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani — and she is the only woman in the country’s top 10 billionaires. Born in Tinsukia, Assam, her presence at the event added a symbolic homecoming touch to the historic occasion.
A Civilisational Treasure Returns
The foundation ceremony marks the beginning of Assam’s long-cherished effort to bring back the 16th-century Vrindavani Vastra, currently housed at the British Museum in London, for public display in the state.
Calling the textile a “symbol of Assam’s civilisation and culture,” the Chief Minister said generations had waited to witness the priceless relic. He described the museum project as the first concrete step toward fulfilling that aspiration.
Woven in the 16th century at Tantikuchi in Barpeta’s Patbausi under the guidance of Srimanta Sankardev and his disciple Madhavdev, the textile is regarded as one of the finest examples of Assamese devotional art and weaving excellence. The Chief Minister noted that any Assamese would feel immense pride witnessing the masterpiece in person.
He recalled first seeing the Vrindavani Vastra at the British Museum in 2007–08, describing it as an unforgettable moment. “The brilliance of its colours and the refined artistic and technical skill left me stunned. Every Assamese should have the opportunity to see this extraordinary creation at least once,” he said.
From Assam to Bhutan, Tibet, and London
Tracing its journey, Sarma said the textile moved from Assam to Bhutan, then Tibet, and eventually reached London in the 20th century. Over the years, discussions were held with the Prime Minister, the Indian High Commission, and British authorities to facilitate its display in Assam.
The JSW Group played a crucial role in advancing the process. The Chief Minister acknowledged the personal efforts of the Jindal family and the diplomatic support that have made the Vastras’ return possible.
CSR-Funded World-Class Museum
The museum will be built on two acres of land at Khanapara under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the JSW Group, with the Assam government providing the land and the company bearing construction costs. It is expected to be completed within 18 months and is envisioned as a world-class cultural facility capable of hosting rare artefacts from across the globe.
Sarma also linked the initiative to broader cultural milestones achieved in recent years, including classical language status for Assamese, global recognition of Bihu, and UNESCO inscription of the Charaideo Maidams.
Describing the day as “emotional and historic,” he said the arrival of the Vrindavani Vastra in Assam would spark cultural pride and renewed civilisational consciousness, especially among the youth.
Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, several ministers, MPs, MLAs, senior officials, Satradhikars, devotees, and British Museum’s South and Southeast Asia section head Richard Blurton were present at the ceremony — alongside Savitri Jindal, whose journey from Tinsukia to becoming India’s richest woman added an extraordinary footnote to Assam’s unfolding cultural chapter.