Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Friday made an offering of Rs 1.5 crore to the ancient hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at nearby Tirumala, a temple official said.

Ambani, an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara, along with Radhika Merchant who is the daughter of Encore Healthcare CEO Viren Merchant and other RIL officials arrived in the hills in the wee hours of Friday, the official told PTI.

After worship, Ambani handed over a cheque for Rs 1.5 crore to TTD Additional Executive Officer A Venkata Dharma Reddy at the shrine, the official said.

After a brief stay at a guest house on the hills, Ambani, Radhika Merchant and others took part in an hour-long sacred ritual of Abhishekam (holy bath) conducted at the crack of dawn to Lord Venkateswara in the inner sanctum by high priests amid chanting of Vedic hymns, the TTD official said.

Before leaving the hills, Ambani fed the elephants at the temple, the official added.