Top philanthropists 2025: Shiv Nadar remains India's most generous; who moved up and who joined the list this year?

India’s biggest givers donated a record ₹10,380 crore this year, an 85% jump over the past three years, even as the number of philanthropists dipped to 191 from 203 last year, according to the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025. The Top 10 givers alone contributed ₹5,834 crore, up 26% year-on-year, showing that India’s giving is getting deeper, if not wider. While the top names—Shiv Nadar, Mukesh Ambani, and the Bajaj family—held their ground, a wave of new and rising donors has also debuted on the list. 

Here’s how the ranks stack up this year:

1. Shiv Nadar & family (₹2,708 crore)

India’s most generous for the fourth time in five years, Shiv Nadar’s giving rose 26% from last year. His ₹2,708-crore donation, about ₹7.4 crore a day, cements his long-standing focus on education. He also recorded the highest jump in donation value, adding ₹555 crore more than FY24.

2. Mukesh Ambani & family (₹626 crore)

Holding steady at second place, the Ambani family’s contribution climbed 54% year-on-year. With ₹626 crore given largely through the Reliance Foundation, Ambani’s philanthropy continues to expand across education, health, and sports.

3. Bajaj family (₹446 crore)

The Bajaj family retained their third-place position, increasing their donation by 27%. Their philanthropic focus on education and rural development remains unchanged but continues to deepen in scale and reach.

4. Kumar Mangalam Birla & family (₹440 crore)

The Birla family stays at No. 4, with a 32% increase in giving. About one-fifth of this year’s ₹440 crore came directly from personal funds. The funds were primarily directed towards healthcare and education.

5. Gautam Adani & family (₹386 crore)

Adani held onto the fifth position, contributing 17% more than last year. Education remains their biggest cause, followed by skill development and community health initiatives under the Adani Foundation.

6. Nandan Nilekani (₹365 crore)

Placed sixth on the list, Nilekani’s donation rose 19% from 2024. The Infosys co-founder continues to channel his philanthropy into technology-led social infrastructure through Nilekani Philanthropies.

7. Hinduja family (₹298 crore)

One of this year’s biggest movers, the Hinduja family jumped nine places to enter the top 10 with a 150% rise in donations. Their focus on healthcare and education through the Hinduja Foundation reflects their global-local giving ethos.

8. Rohini Nilekani (₹204 crore)

India’s most generous woman philanthropist moved two spots up, donating ₹204 crore, a 33% increase from last year. Her work spans education, climate, and strengthening civil society institutions through Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies.

9. Sudhir Mehta & Samir Mehta (₹189 crore)

The Mehta family made a strong debut in the top 10, rising nine positions with a 69% jump in giving. Their UNM Foundation focusses on healthcare, education, and rural development across Gujarat.

10. Cyrus S. Poonawalla & Adar Poonawalla (₹173 crore)

The Poonawalla family climbed three ranks to close the Top 10, with donations up 21% year-on-year. Their giving, led through the Villoo Poonawalla Foundation, supports education, healthcare, and sanitation.

Notable movers outside the top 10

While the top ranks saw familiar names holding strong, a few philanthropists outside the Top 10 made striking gains, either through sharp jumps in giving, major business exits fueling personal donations, or consistent multi-year increases that signal a deeper shift toward individual-led philanthropy.

Ranjan Pai (₹160 crore)

The Manipal Group chairman was ranked at 12 with a personal donation of ₹160 crore after a major business exit earlier this year.

Harish & Bina Shah (₹137 crore)

Their giving rose sharply by 77%, placing them 16th on the list.

Sanjay & Alpana Dangi (₹32 crore)

A standout in the mid-tier, the Dangi couple made the largest jump in ranks this year, from 162 to 47, following a 434% increase in their philanthropic giving.

New faces on the list

Twelve new philanthropists joined the 2025 list, led by Venu Srinivasan of TVS Motor as the most generous debutant at ₹20 crore. Other notable entrants include Adi Godrej, Nadir Godrej, Jamshyd Godrej, and Smita Crishna, each donating ₹10 crore.