Most generous Indians – Some of the top Indian Philanthropists

You might be aware of some of the world famous Philanthropists like Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan, George Soros, but you may not know that our own Indian business tycoons are not far behind when it comes to donating for the social cause. We bring you some of the top Indian Philanthropists which will inspire you to share whatever you can with the not so privileged people.

Let’s have a look at the top Indian philanthropists:

Azim Premji

• Azim Premji is a philanthropist and the chairman of Wipro Limited.
• In March 2019 he announced that all the earnings from his 34% shares of India’s fourth-largest software services exporter Wipro worth INR 52,750 crore would be used for charitable causes.
• Premji has committed earnings from 67% of Wipro’s share to the charitable foundation.
• He has so far created a corpus of US4 21 billion for philanthropic causes.
• As of October 2018, he is the second richest person in India with an estimated net worth of USD 21.8 billion.

Must Read: Mukesh Ambani: Life, Career, Achievements And Net Worth

Shiv Nadar

• Shiv Nadar, an Indian billionaire, philanthropist, founder and chairman of HCL and the Shiv Nadar Foundation.
• In 1994, Shiv Nadar established the Shiv Nadar Foundation as a focused philanthropic endeavour to create equitable opportunities for education and leadership.
• The government of India awarded him Padma Bhushan for his contribution to the IT industry in 2008.
• In April 2017, he was ranked 16th in the list of India’s 50 most powerful people of 2017 by India Today magazine.
• Shiv Nadar has contributed more than $ 662 Million in philanthropy and has the net worth of USD 14.5 billion as of March 2019.

Also Read: Indian CEOs in International Companies

Kiran Mazumdar- Shaw

• Kiran Mazumdar- Shaw is the chairperson and managing director of Biocon Limited, a biotechnology company in Bangalore.
• Her net worth is USD 3.40 billion as of March 2019.
• Kiran has pledged 75 per cent of her wealth under Giving Pledge, a global initiative started by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, which encourages wealthy people to engage in altruism.
• Forbes listed her among the most powerful women in the world in 2016 and 2017 at 77th and 71st position respectively.
• Mazumdar-Shaw is India’s richest self-made woman who founded India’s largest biopharmaceutical firm in 1978.
• Biocon became the first company to gain approval from the USFDA for two different biosimilars of drugs used in cancer treatments.

Also read: 5 Women entrepreneurs who made it to the top

Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao

• Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao is a billionaire industrialist, a mechanical engineer and the founder chairman of GMR Group; a global infrastructure developer.
• He started the GMR group in 1978 which is now present in 7 countries. The group has interests in energy, highways, large urban development and airports sectors, known for building and operating world-class national assets.
• In the year 2013, he became the third generous donor of corporate India for the year as per China’s Harun Report Inc. by donating INR 740 Crores.
• He also donated Rs.1540 Crores in 2012 for philanthropic causes.

Nandan & Rohini Nilekani

• Nandan Nilekani is an Indian entrepreneur and non-executive chairman of Infosys. Rohini Nilekani is his wife.
• After the exit of Vishal Sikka, Nandan Nilekani was appointed as non-executive chairman of the board on August 24, 2017.
• In 2017, India Today magazine ranked Nandan Nilekani 12th in India’s 50 most powerful people list.
• Nandan and Rohini Nilekani pledged to contribute 50% of their wealth in 2017.
• He reportedly has a net worth of US$2 billion.

Puthan Neduvakkatt Chenthamaraksha Menon

• PNC Menon is an Indian-born Omani billionaire businessman who is the Founder and Chairman of Sobha Ltd. (Formerly Sobha Developers Ltd) & Sobha LLC.
• His son, Ravi Menon, an engineer from Purdue University runs Sobha Developers, while Menon lives in Dubai.
• Menon said that after his death his wife Sobha Menon will become the chairman of Sobha Developers and his son, Ravi, the co-chair.
• His net worth is USD 1.1 billion as of March 2019.
• Menon has pledged US$435 million under Giving Pledge for philanthropic causes.

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