Neither Mukesh Ambani nor Gautam Adani, who are among the richest in India and Asia, were the top philanthropists in India, according to the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2024.
HCL Technologies founder Shiv Nadar and family stayed on top on this year’s list as well after donating Rs 2,153 crore. Mukesh Ambani and family occupied the second spot with a philanthropic contribution of Rs 407 crore. Next was the Bajaj family that donated Rs 352 crore.
The top 10 individuals in the list contributed Rs 4,625 crore to philanthropic causes, making up as much as 53% of the total donations in the list of over 200 donors.
The 203 donors made an average donation of Rs 43 crore, according to the list.
Krishna Chivukula became the most generous entrant in the list with a donation of Rs 228 crore. Newcomers in the top 10 list also include Susmita and Subroto Bagchi, who donated Rs 179 crore.
Among the top causes were education, public healthcare and ecosystem building.
The Bajaj family has climbed three ranks to secure third place on the list, making a notable donation of Rs 352 crore, reflecting a 33 per cent increase from FY23.
Gautam Adani & family, representing the Adani Group, made a significant philanthropic contribution of Rs 330 crore, securing the fifth position this year. This amount reflects a 16% increase over the previous year. Their charitable initiatives are primarily funnelled through the Adani Foundation.
Among the top 10 most generous women, Rohini Nilekani occupied the top spot with Rs 154 crore donated for ecosystem building.
Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, 38, is the youngest philanthropist in list. Kamath's Rs 120 crore contribution to the Rainmatter Foundation has placed him among the top philanthropists in India for the second time in a row.
Kamath also runs Young Indian Philanthropic Pledge (YIPP) which collaborates with leaders from the startup ecosystem to donate as much as 25% of their net worth to charitable causes.