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A delegation of prominent Indian business leaders and personalities, including author Amish Tripathi, recently met with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the company’s Starbase facility in Texas, following a discussion that included an invitation for Musk to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering. The event was organized by the UK-headquartered India Global Forum (IGF), led by its founder and chairman, Manoj Ladwa.
A Conversation Beyond Boundaries
After the meeting, Amish Tripathi, celebrated for his mythological fiction works, shared his experience on X (formerly Twitter). Along with a photograph with Musk, Tripathi wrote:
“An invigorating hour spent with none other than Elon Musk, in an exclusive event organised by Manoj Ladwa. We discussed a range of topics from spirituality, consciousness, interplanetary travel, monetary policy, engineering, amongst others. And an invitation to the Maha Kumbh Mela! Hope he can make it!!”
An invigorating hour spent with none other than @elonmusk, in an exclusive event organised by @manojladwa. We discussed a range of topics from spirituality, consciousness, interplanetary travel, monetary policy, engineering amongst others. And an invitation to the Maha Kumbh… pic.twitter.com/5U9wXsej6r
— Amish Tripathi (@authoramish) January 17, 2025
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The gathering brought together several Indian business leaders, including Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group CEO of OYO; Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO of Flipkart; Aryaman Birla of the Aditya Birla Group; and Nilesh Ved, Chairman of Apparel Group.
Musk Fascinated With Maha Kumbh Mela
During the moderated discussion, Musk expressed admiration for India, calling it “one of the ancient civilisations and a very great and very complex one.” He also highlighted the potential for stronger collaboration between India and the United States, particularly in technology and space exploration.
“Things are trending positive. I’m certainly in favour of lowering trade barriers to increase commerce between the US and India,” Musk remarked. He further shared his fascination with interplanetary living, calling it a “super critical” pursuit and reflecting on how rapid advancements in technology make it feel “like we are living in a simulation.”
A Tour of Starbase and Unique Memorabilia
The event included a tour of SpaceX’s Starbase facility, where attendees witnessed the successful launch and booster catch of Starship Flight 7. To commemorate the event, Musk presented each guest with SpaceX-branded chopsticks, symbolizing the engineering success of the launch tower’s “Mechazilla” arms used for booster recovery.
Ritesh Agarwal shared additional details about the event, describing the vegetarian dinner served at the venue. “One of the most incredible veg spreads at SpaceX. As a vegetarian, loved it,” he posted on X. Agarwal also praised Musk’s work, stating, “Elon is by far doing the most to evolve humankind or, as Peter Thiel says, has us closest to getting flying cars.”
Had the opportunity to be among the Indian founders hosted by @Elonmusk led by @IGFupdates . Elon is by far doing the most to evolve human kind or as Peter Thiel says has us closest to getting flying cars.
Some comments from Elon –A. India evokes the emotion of Ancient and… pic.twitter.com/IuHvnHV1YA
— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) January 17, 2025
Musk Invited To Maha Kumbh Mela
Amid the discussion, Amish Tripathi extended a personal invitation to Elon Musk to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela. Ritesh Agarwal later revealed that Musk was “fascinated about Kumbh Mela,” sparking further interest in the renowned religious gathering.
The meeting created a buzz on social media, with Tripathi’s post receiving widespread attention. Comments like “That’s amazing” and “How beautiful is this, Amish ji. I hope these kinds of events happen more often” reflected the admiration for the meaningful discussions that spanned topics from engineering to spirituality.
Also Read: From Steve Jobs to Elon Musk: How Maha Kumbh Mela Fascinated These International Figures
