Led by Azim Premji, India’s topmost philanthropists comprise Shiv Nadar, Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Anil Agarwal, Ajay Piramal, Nandan Nilekani, Hinduja brothers, Gautam Adani and Rahul Bajaj.
Wipro Founder-Chairman Azim Premji is the top most philanthropist in the country. He donated INR 22 crore per day or INR 7,904 crore in 2020. He is followed by Shiv Nadar & family (INR 795 crore), Mukesh Ambani & family (INR 458 crore), Kumar Mangalam Birla & family (INR 276 crore), Anil Agarwal & family (INR 215 crore), Ajay Piramal & family (INR 196 crore), Nandan Nilekani (INR 159 crore), Hinduja brothers (INR 133 crore), Gautam Adani & family (INR 88 crore), and Rahul Bajaj & family (INR 74 crore), according to the seventh edition of EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020.
Total donations in the list increase by 175% to INR 12,050 crore in 2020. Kumara Mangalam Birla and Anil Agarwal move into the top 5. Mumbai is home to most of the philanthropists, followed by New Delhi and Bengaluru. The causes vary from education to healthcare, livelihood enhancement, disaster relief and management and sustainable development.
Top 10 philanthropists in India – 2020
| Rank | Name | Donation (INR Crore) | Primary Cause | Company |
| 1 | Azim Premji & family | 7,904 | Education | Wipro |
| 2 | Shiv Nadar & family | 795 | Education | HCL Technologies |
| 3 | Mukesh Ambani & family | 458 | Disaster Relief | Reliance Industries |
| 4 | Kumar Mangalam Birla & family | 276 | Education | Aditya Birla |
| 5 | Anil Agarwal & family | 215 | Healthcare | Vedanta |
| 6 | Ajay Piramal & family | 196 | Education | Piramal |
| 7 | Nandan Nilekani | 159 | Sustainable Development | Infosys |
| 8 | Hinduja brothers | 133 | Healthcare | Hinduja |
| 9 | Gautam Adani & family | 88 | Education | Adani |
| 10 | Rahul Bajaj & family | 74 | Livelihood Enhancement | Bajaj |
Rank: 1
Name: Azim Premji & family
Company: Wipro
Donation (INR crore): 7,770
Primary Cause: Education
Description: With a donation of INR 7,904 crore, Azim Premji & family, the founder chairman of Wipro, tops the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. Azim Premji Endowment Fund owns 13.6% of the promoter’s shareholding in Wipro and has the right to receive all money earned from promoter shares. On 1 April 2020, Azim Premji Foundation (INR 1,000 crore), Wipro (INR 100 crore), and Wipro Enterprises (INR 25 crore) have committed INR 1,125 crore towards tackling the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. These are in addition to the annual CSR activities of Wipro, and the usual philanthropic spending of the Azim Premji Foundation.
Rank: 2
Name: Shiv Nadar & family
Company: HCL Technologies
Donation (INR Crore): 795
Primary Cause: Education
Description: HCL Technologies’ founder chairman Shiv Nadar and family have been ranked 2nd in the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. Nadar credits his success to the education and scholarships that he received during his early years. As of 2019, Nadar has invested over US$ 800 million through the foundation, impacting over 30,000 students directly. Nadar’s wife, Kiran Nadar chairs the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, India’s first private philanthropic art museum exhibiting modern and contemporary works from India and the subcontinent.
Rank: 3
Name: Mukesh Ambani & family
Company: Reliance Industries
Donation (INR crore): 458
Primary Cause: Disaster Relief
Description: With a donation of INR 458 crore, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and family occupy the 3rd spot in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. Reliance Industries has announced a donation of INR 500 crore to the PM CARES Fund and INR 5 crore each to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund of Maharashtra and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund of Gujarat to support their fights against Covid-19.
Rank: 4
Name: Kumar Mangalam Birla & family
Company: Aditya Birla
Donation (INR crore): 276
Primary Cause: Education
Description:With a donation of INR 276 crore, Kumar Mangalam Birla and family rank 4th in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. Aditya Birla Group has donated INR 400 crore to the PM CARES Fund and INR 50 crore to FICCI-Aditya Birla CSR Centre for Excellence. The Group has also allocated INR 50 crore for supplying N95 Masks, PPEs and ventilators.
Rank: 5
Name: Anil Agarwal & family
Company: Vedanta
Donation (INR crore): 215
Primary Cause: Healthcare
Description: The 5th position in EdelGiveHurun India Philanthropy List 2020 is occupied by the founder and chairman of Vedanta, Anil Agarwal & family, who donated INR 215 crore. In September 2014 Anil Agarwal pledged 75% of his wealth to charity. His areas of interest include education, computer literacy, vocational training, women and child empowerment, and community welfare.
Rank: 6
Name: Ajay Piramal & family
Company: Piramal
Donation (INR crore): 196
Primary Cause: Education
Description: With INR 196 crore donation, Ajay Piramal and family have made it to the 6th rank in the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. The Piramal Group has committed INR 25 crore to PM CARES Fund. In November 2019, Piramal Foundation and Gates Foundation partnered to set up a Tribal Health Collaborative and work closely with the Government of India to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Rank: 7
Name: Nandan Nilekani
Company: Infosys
Donation (INR Crore): 159
Primary Cause: Sustainable Development
Description: Co-founder and chairman of Infosys Nandan Nilekani ranked 7th in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020 with a donation of INR 159 crore. Nandan Nilekani and Rohini Nilekani signed the Giving Pledge in 2017, committing to donate half of their wealth towards philanthropy.
Rank: 8
Name: Hinduja brothers
Company: Hinduja
Donation (INR crore): 133
Primary Cause: Healthcare
Description: Hinduja brothers enter at 8th rank in EdelGiveHurun India Philanthropy List 2020 with a donation of INR 133 crore. Established in 1968, Hinduja Foundation focuses on water stewardship, healthcare, education, rural development, and arts and culture.
Rank: 9
Name: Gautam Adani & family
Company: Adani
Donation (INR Crore): 88
Primary Cause: Education
Description: With a donation of INR 88 crore, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and family are at the 9th spot. Adani Foundation works in four key areas such as education, community health, sustainable livelihood and community infrastructure development, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. Adani Foundation has announced INR 100 crore donation to PM CARES Fund.
Rank: 10
Name: Rahul Bajaj & family
Company: Bajaj
Donation (INR Crore): 74
Primary Cause: Livelihood Enhancement
Description:With a donation of INR 74 crore, Rahul Bajaj and family rank 10th in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. The Bajaj family has a long tradition of generous philanthropy over 100 years. The family foundation of the Bajaj group, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, works to bring about change in areas of healthcare and education, rural and urban development, sports, Indian heritage and arts.
Related reports:
▪ Philanthropy picks up in India in 2020
▪ Top Personal philanthropists in India – 2020
▪ Top 7 Women philanthropists in India – 2020
▪ Top 10 popular philanthropic causes – 2020
▪ Top Philanthropic cities – 2020
— With inputs by Mohammad Mujtaba, an intern from Jamia Millia Islamia.