Mukesh and Nita Ambani among four Indians who feature in TIME’s first-ever philanthropy list

Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, Reliance Industries, along with his wife—and founder and chair of the Reliance Foundation—Nita Ambani, were featured in TIME magazine’s debut list on the 100 most influential people shaping the future of giving at a pivotal moment.

“(Mukesh and Nita) have funded initiatives affecting millions of Indians that have provided funding for scholarships; helped women strengthen their career skills; assisted rural communities with sustainable agriculture initiatives; supported water conservation projects; paid for the construction of hospitals; aided people with vision problems; and improved infrastructure for schools,” reads their profile.

According to TIME, the couple gave away ₹407 crore (about $48 million) in philanthropic ventures in 2024, making them among India’s biggest donors. Nita Ambani, who TIME calls a “businesswoman in her own right,” also leads several of Reliance Foundation’s programs to nurture and develop athletes by providing them with world-class facilities and the latest coaching techniques, focusing on female athletes. “Their successes are even more special because of the difficulties women face in pursuing professional sport,” she told TIME.

The list also features Azim Premji, the first Indian to sign the Giving Pledge, who has endowed his foundation—launched nearly 25 years ago—with over $29 billion of Wipro’s shares. “In addition to disbursing traditional grants—$109 million went to 940 organisations focused on education, health, and other areas in 2023-2024—the foundation works directly with teachers and rural childcare workers via 59 field offices and 263 teacher learning centers throughout India,” reads Premji’s profile, adding that his educational programs have so far helped over eight million children. “The foundation also plays an advocacy role in education policy, helping to shape the national curriculum.

Nikhil Kamath, who in 2023 became the youngest Indian to sign the Giving Pledge, was also featured in the list in the “Trailblazers” category. His profile talks about his offshoot initiative, the Young India Philanthropic Pledge (YIPP), which exhorts Indians under the age of 45 to give away at least 25% of their wealth.

Along with his brother, Nithin, he pledged more than $100 million to their Rainmatter Foundation, which works on climate change. YIPP has raised $8 million to fund projects such as the upgradation of 300 schools with better computers, career counselling, and other services. Kamath told TIME that he wants to improve conventional schools because education “is the only democratising element that can close the inequality gap.”