The 2024 Hurun India Philanthropy awards was on the 9^th of May, 2024 in Mumbai. This accolade is not only an affirmation of their generous donations and selfless dedication but also a recognition of their significant contributions to various social causes, including education, healthcare, and environmental protection. Through their acts of kindness, these philanthropists have infused a continuous stream of vitality into the prosperity and development of Indian society, inspiring more people to engage in charitable endeavors and work together towards building a better society.

2024 Mumbai

The 2023 EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy Magazine

Notable highlights of the night include Nandini J. Singh, head of the ACG Cares Foundation, receiving the Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy Award, and Adar Poonawalla being named as India’s Philanthropy Leader of the Year 2024. Poonawalla founded the Villoo Poonawalla Foundation in 2012, and is the CEO of the Serum Institute of India. The Institute is one of the largest manufacturers of vaccines in India, and is the country’s most valuable unlisted company at 1.92 Lakh Crore. It was vital during the COVID-19 Pandemic where it manufactured the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in India, saving millions of lives.

Mr K. Dinesh, co-founder of IT consulting firm Infosys and co-founder & managing trustee of the Ashraya Hastha Trust, gave an enlightening talk on the future and possibilities of large- scale philanthropy. A panel was then held, with entrepreneurs echoing Mr Dinesh’s speech, discussing the coming of a new age of philanthropy, with a large emphasis on the impact of social media in the digital age. The panel consisted of Anas Rahman Junaid, Jalaj Dani (Dani Foundation), Tapan Agarwal (Agarwal Coal), AparnaUppaluri (Tata Trusts) and Rahul Warke (HI Media Labs).

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In 2023, Shiv Nadar, founder of HCLTech, topped the list with an annual donation of ₹2.042 crore, making him India’s most generous philanthropist for the third time consecutively within five years. Azim Premji were second with donations valued at ₹1.774 crore, followed by Mukesh Ambani and his family at ₹376 crore.

Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder and Chief Researcher of Hurun India

It is interesting to note that over the past five years, (effectively since the start of the pandemic), large donations from India’s top businessmen and women have exponentially increased. For example, the number of individuals donating over ₹100 crore has surged from two to fourteen, and those that have contributed more than ₹50 crore have increased from five to twenty-four: a remarkable 380% increase. From the 2023 fiscal year, the top ten donors alone contributed approximately ₹5.806 crore, up 91% from the previous fiscal year.

Mr K. Dinesh, co-founder of Infosys and Managing Trustee of the Ashraya Hastha Trust

In total, 119 philanthropists made it onto the list, donating all together a staggering ₹8.445 crore, a significant 59% increase from 2022. Therefore, with this current trend, we can expect to see a grand total of at least approximately ₹13.512 crore in donations in the 2024 fiscal year. 

21% of the 2024 list is composed of new entrants; the majority of those being younger and are the future of philanthropy in India. Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha, at just 37 years old, became the youngest philanthropist on the list with a cumulative donation of ₹110 crore.

This year’s event underscored a wider shift towards more strategic and therefore impactful philanthropy, thus moving away from the traditional acts of charity normally associated with addressing broader societal changes. The diverse list of men and women from all over India also includes professionals from the pharmaceutical, chemical and petrochemical industries, emphasising the expansive support for India’s socioeconomic development.

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Innovators of Corporate Social Responsibility as a self- regulating business model shared some of their thoughts on using collaborative measures to meet various challenges, on another panel composed of (L-R) Rishi Pathania (UPL Group), Forum Nagori (Tata Power), Matilda Lobo (Indusland Bank), Mabel Abraham (L&T) and chaired Naghma Mulla, the CEO of the EdelGive Foundation. It was a riveting discussion, with the panellists divulging some very intellectual insights into the challenges posed by modern social issues.

Other significant contributions in the 2023 fiscal year include: Kumar Mangalam Birla with ₹287 crore towards the education sector, and Gautam Adani who donated ₹285 crore. The Bajaj family, Anil Agarwal, and Nandan & Rohini Nilekan were among the top ten, supporting a range of causes from healthcare to environmental sustainability.

Ultimately, the future of Indian philanthropy looks strong. Ultimately, the future of philanthropy in India looks robust, exhibiting unprecedented vitality and potential. With the generosity of business leaders and individuals from all walks of life, the scale and impact of charitable donations are continuously expanding.

This growth is reflected not only in the increase in the amount of donations but also in the deepening and broadening of charitable actions. From education to healthcare, from environmental protection to social justice, the positive effects of philanthropic power can be felt in every field. As society's understanding and participation in philanthropy increase, we can anticipate that India's philanthropic endeavors will continue to flourish, contributing significantly to the construction of a more harmonious and progressive society.