India’s richest are giving more than ever before. According to the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025, total donations by the country’s top philanthropists rose to ₹10,380 crore in FY 2024–25, marking an 85 percent jump over three years.
At the top of the list is Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL Technologies, who contributed ₹2,708 crore this year, averaging about ₹7.4 crore every day. Over the last five years, Nadar and his family have donated more than ₹10,120 crore, largely through the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which focuses on education and social development.
Mukesh Ambani and his family ranked second with donations worth ₹626 crore, channelled mainly through the Reliance Foundation towards healthcare, rural transformation, and education. Gautam Adani and his family stood fifth with ₹376 crore, followed by Nandan Nilekani, who contributed ₹304 crore. The Hinduja family donated ₹298 crore, while Rohini Nilekani, with ₹204 crore, emerged as India’s top woman philanthropist. Sudhir and Samir Mehta of the Torrent Group secured the ninth spot with ₹189 crore, and Cyrus S. Poonawalla along with Adar Poonawalla ranked tenth, contributing ₹173 crore.
The list highlights that the top 25 donors together have given nearly ₹50,000 crore in the past three years, roughly ₹46 crore per day. Education remains the largest area of focus, followed by skills development and community healthcare.
Hurun India noted that the growing culture of structured philanthropy shows how India’s wealthy are increasingly committing to long-term social change rather than one-time charity. The surge in donations also signals a shift toward measurable impact, transparency, and institutional giving.
Experts say such large-scale contributions can play a crucial role in strengthening public health, education, and research ecosystems, especially as private capital aligns with national development goals.
