Record-Breaking Generosity: India's Philanthropic Landscape Transforms
India's philanthropic spirit has reached unprecedented heights, with the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025 revealing a staggering 85% surge in total donations compared to the previous year. A collective of 191 philanthropists, including 12 new entrants, contributed an impressive ₹10,380 crore to various social causes between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. This remarkable growth underscores a significant shift towards strategic giving among India's wealthiest individuals.
Top Donors and Their Championed Causes
For the fourth consecutive year, Shiv Nadar and family retained the title of India's most generous philanthropist. The 80-year-old tech pioneer and his family donated a monumental ₹2,708 crore, which translates to nearly ₹7.4 crore every single day. Following in second place was industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his family, with an annual contribution of ₹626 crore (approximately ₹1.7 crore daily).
The report also highlighted the donors who increased their contributions the most. Shiv Nadar and family led this category as well, boosting their donation by an additional ₹555 crore from the previous fiscal year. Mukesh Ambani registered the second-largest increment of ₹219 crore, while the Hinduja family secured the third spot by increasing their giving by ₹179 crore.
When it came to the primary causes supported, both Shiv Nadar and Mukesh Ambani directed the bulk of their philanthropy towards education. The Hinduja family, however, chose to focus their primary philanthropic efforts on healthcare.
Education Reigns Supreme as the Most Favoured Cause
According to the comprehensive list, education firmly held its position as the 'Most Preferred Philanthropic Cause', capturing a dominant 40% of all donations, which amounted to ₹4,166 crore. A total of 107 donations were directed towards this sector, with Shiv Nadar and family alone contributing ₹2,392 crore to educational initiatives.
Healthcare followed as the second most-supported cause, receiving ₹971 crore from 89 separate donations. The Bajaj family emerged as the largest contributor in this space, donating ₹148 crore.
The ranking of the top five philanthropic causes in FY25 is as follows:
- Education: ₹4,166 crore (107 donations)
- Healthcare: ₹971 crore (89 donations)
- Environment and Sustainability: ₹438 crore (48 donations)
- Arts, Culture and Heritage: ₹309 crore (37 donations)
- Rural Transformation: ₹301 crore (42 donations)
Mukesh Ambani and family were the top donors for environment and sustainability, giving ₹171 crore, while Nandlal Rungta and family led in arts and culture with a ₹73 crore contribution. The Hinduja family were the foremost donors for rural transformation, donating ₹51 crore.
Key Highlights from the 2025 Philanthropy List
The EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025 is packed with insights that paint a vivid picture of the changing face of Indian charity:
- The list features 24 women, with Rohini Nilekani (66) being named ‘India’s most generous woman’ after donating ₹204 crore.
- The top 25 donors on the list have donated a colossal ₹50,000 crore over just three years—an average of ₹46 crore per day.
- Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath (39) is the youngest philanthropist on the list for the fourth year running.
- The 'Infosys Family’ of co-founders and their families, including Nandan Nilekani and Kris Gopalakrishnan, collectively donated over ₹850 crore, averaging more than ₹2 crore in giving each day.
- Mumbai is the philanthropic capital of India, home to 28% of the list's entrants, followed by New Delhi (17%) and Bengaluru (8%).
- The pharma industry produced the largest number of philanthropists (16%), followed by software & services, automobile & auto components, and chemicals & petrochemicals.
This year's report not only showcases a surge in the volume of giving but also highlights a more mature, cause-oriented, and sustained approach to philanthropy in India, setting a powerful precedent for social investment in the nation's development.
