India’s wealthiest individuals are increasingly contributing to philanthropy, with a collective donation of Rs 10,380 crore in 2025, marking an 85% surge over three years, as per the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025. The list includes 191 philanthropists, with 12 new entrants.
Shiv Nadar and his family maintained their position as India’s most generous philanthropists for the fourth time in five years. In 2025, the HCL founder donated Rs 2,708 crore, averaging Rs 7.4 crore per day, a 26% increase from the previous year. The majority of these donations were channeled through the Shiv Nadar Foundation, focusing on education, arts, and culture.
The top 10 philanthropists contributed a total of Rs 5,834 crore, accounting for more than half of the overall donations. Mukesh Ambani and his family secured the second spot with Rs 626 crore in donations, a 54% increase from the previous year, primarily directed through the Reliance Foundation, which emphasizes healthcare, education, and rural development. The Bajaj family maintained the third position with Rs 446 crore, focusing on rural upliftment through the Jamnalal Bajaj Trust and other initiatives.
Kumar Mangalam Birla and his family ranked fourth with Rs 440 crore, followed by Gautam Adani and his family in fifth place with Rs 386 crore. Other notable figures in the top 10 include Nandan Nilekani, the Hinduja family, Rohini Nilekani, Sudhir and Samir Mehta, and Cyrus and Adar Poonawalla. Rohini Nilekani emerged as the most generous female philanthropist this year, concentrating on education and social sector projects.
The philanthropic landscape in India has witnessed significant growth over the past decade, with the number of individuals donating over Rs 100 crore annually increasing from two in 2018 to 18 in 2025. Additionally, 33 individuals donated more than Rs 50 crore, and 70 contributed over Rs 20 crore. The average individual donation rose to Rs 54 crore, up from Rs 43 crore the previous year. Over five years, the top 25 donors collectively gave nearly Rs 50,000 crore.
Ranjan Pai of the Manipal Group joined the Rs 100-crore donation club with Rs 160 crore, ranking among the most generous in personal capacity. The extended “Infosys family,” including Nandan Nilekani, Rohini Nilekani, Kris Gopalakrishnan, K. Dinesh, and Kumari Shibulal, donated over Rs 850 crore combined.
Education remains the top philanthropic area in India, attracting Rs 4,166 crore from 107 donors. The pharmaceutical industry leads as the primary contributor, followed by software, automobile, and petrochemical sectors. Mumbai stands as India’s philanthropy hub, with 28% of major donors located there, followed by Delhi (17%) and Bengaluru (8%). The number of self-made philanthropists has reached 101, while women philanthropists have increased to 24.
In terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending, Reliance Industries led the way by allocating Rs 1,309 crore as CSR expenditure, surpassing regulatory requirements by Rs 261 crore. Rungta Sons and Jindal Steel Limited also exceeded mandated CSR obligations.