A recent wedding in Kerala has sparked widespread online discussion after photos surfaced showing a Blackstone Senior Associate sporting a mehendi design featuring the names 'Blackstone' and 'JP Schools' — a nod to the firm's latest investment deal.
The images were shared on LinkedIn by Amit Dixit, Head of Asia Private Equity at Blackstone, who had attended the wedding of Senior Associate Pranav Damani and praised the unique henna artwork.
In his LinkedIn post, Dixit described the weekend celebration in 'God's own country' and expressed admiration for the design inked onto the groom's hand, which blended traditional wedding art with corporate symbolism.
He also highlighted Blackstone's strong investment footprint in Kerala, which includes stakes in Federal Bank, Aster Care, KIMS Trivandrum, and IBS Software.
Ohh man, Blackstone should be a great place, Imagine being so committed that you're putting your latest deals in henna on your hands during your wedding
by u/Imaginary-Spring-779 in FinancialCareers
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"Spent the weekend in God's own country— Kerala — for our Senior Associate, Pranav Damani's wedding. Loved the henna on his hand with Blackstone and our latest deal, JP Schools, inked. Best wishes to Pranav and Aishwarya for a happy married life. And always special to be in Kerala where Blackstone is probably the largest foreign investor with investments in Federal Bank, Aster Care, KIMS Trivandrum, and IBS Software," read the LinkedIn post.
While some social‑media users found the gesture creative and lighthearted, celebrating the merging of personal milestones with professional pride, others reacted, criticising what they saw as excessive corporate culture intruding on an intimate moment.
Comments ranged from supportive messages appreciating the "unique mehendi" such as, "Well, the mehendi is quite unique though! Congratulations to them" to disapproving remarks accusing the firm of co‑opting a personal celebration for branding. "Imagine making the one of most cherishable day of your life about your company," read a comment on LinkedIn.
In November 2025, Blackstone, the US private equity giant, was in advanced talks to acquire a majority stake in Globetrotters Educational Innoventions, the operator of Jaipur's Jayshree Periwal International School (JPIS). The deal was expected to be part of a larger plan to build a major education platform in India, with a total investment of $600–700 million.
The JPIS acquisition mirrors Blackstone's strategy in other sectors, such as healthcare where it consolidated CARE Hospitals and KIMS Health for $1 billion and electric mobility, where it created an EV-focused auto technology platform with Sona BLW and Comstar.
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