As the Diwali season approaches, rumors began circulating online that Reliance Industries (RIL) had prepared a lavish gift package — including premium gadgets like iPhones — for its employees. However, the company has clarified that those claims are unfounded.
The viral videos showing employees allegedly unboxing iPhones from a company-branded “Deepawali” gift box are misleading, and according to internal communications and fact-checks, the actual gift for the 2025 festival remains modest: a well-packaged assortment of dry fruits, typically cashews, almonds and raisins.
In recent years, RIL and its telecom arm have routinely distributed festive boxes marked with greetings such as “Shubh Deepawali,” usually featuring a small potli bag with one packet each of cashews, almonds and raisins, plus a card signed by the Ambani family.
While many organisations this year are evolving their gift strategies — introducing experiences, personalised vouchers or skill-subscriptions — RIL appears to have maintained its traditional hamper approach. Industry watchers say this may reflect the company’s preference for uniform gifting across a large employee base and the simplicity of a non-electronic token.
For employees, the dry-fruit box carries symbolic value: it is a gesture of appreciation without creating a large financial expectation. At the same time, the absence of high-value gadgets may draw criticism in a period where many firms are using festive gifting to bolster morale and visibly reward performance.
From the corporate communication standpoint, the clarification serves a dual purpose: it corrects misinformation spreading online and sets the company’s gift-giving benchmark for the year. For employees and observers alike, it leaves little ambiguity about what to expect.
In short, this Diwali, while the spotlight may gleam on viral unboxing videos, Reliance’s actual contribution to its workforce’s festive cheer remains consistent, conservative and dry-fruit centred — not gadget-driven.