HCL’s founder, Shiv Nadar, has once again secured the title of India’s most generous philanthropist. In the past year, Nadar and his family contributed a total of Rs 2,708 crore, averaging nearly Rs 7.4 crore per day. This marks the fourth time in the last five years that Nadar has topped the philanthropy list.
Nadar’s donations primarily supported education initiatives through the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which oversees institutions like Shiv Nadar University and VidyaGyan schools for disadvantaged students.
The EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025, compiled by Hurun Research and EdelGive Foundation, ranks individuals and families in India based on their monetary donations between April 2024 and March 2025.
Following Nadar, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, secured the second spot by donating Rs 626 crore over the year, approximately Rs 1.7 crore daily. Ambani’s philanthropic endeavors are concentrated on healthcare, education, and rural development through the Reliance Foundation.
Azim Premji, the founder of Wipro, who had previously held the top position, came in third this time with donations totaling Rs 526 crore, equivalent to about Rs 1.4 crore per day. His foundation’s primary focus remains on school education and teacher training nationwide.
Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, along with his family, contributed Rs 440 crore, approximately Rs 1.2 crore per day. Gautam Adani and his family donated Rs 386 crore, translating to around Rs 1.05 crore daily, emphasizing education, healthcare, and community welfare through the Adani Foundation.
Rohini Nilekani, chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, emerged as the leading female philanthropist in India by donating Rs 204 crore in the last year, supporting causes like water conservation, governance reforms, and independent media, averaging around Rs 56 lakh per day.
Overall, Indian billionaires and business families collectively donated Rs 10,380 crore in 2025, depicting an 85% increase in philanthropic giving over the past three years. Education remained the primary focus area, followed by healthcare and rural development.
The report highlighted a rise in the number of individuals donating over Rs 100 crore annually, increasing from two in 2018 to 18 in 2025. Mumbai led the list of top donors, followed by Delhi and Bengaluru.
While established philanthropists such as Shiv Nadar, Mukesh Ambani, and Azim Premji continue to lead, experts observe a growing trend of structured giving among India’s affluent population, as evidenced by the increasing number of new donors.