Meet 80-Year-Old Man Who Donated Rs 27,00,00,00,000, Is India’s Biggest Philanthropist — Not Ambani, Tata Or Adani; He Is…

The title of India’s most generous philanthropist this year goes to HCL founder Shiv Nadar. As per the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025, Nadar and his family donated a staggering Rs 2,708 crore in the past year. That averages to almost Rs 7.4 crore every day. Interestingly, this is the fourth time in the last five years that he has topped the list, showing his strong and consistent commitment towards social development.

 

Shiv Nadar’s philanthropic efforts are largely directed towards education and equal learning opportunities. His Shiv Nadar Foundation runs well-known institutions such as Shiv Nadar University, SSN Institutions, and the VidyaGyan schools, which provide free, high-quality education to meritorious students from rural backgrounds. His vision has always been to nurture talent that could otherwise be left unseen.

 

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani ranked second on the list, donating Rs 626 crore over the year, which works out to around Rs 1.7 crore per day. The Reliance Foundation, led by Nita Ambani, continues to work extensively in areas like healthcare, education, rural development, and disaster response, helping communities in both rural and urban India.

 

Wipro founder Azim Premji, well-known for his large charitable contributions in previous years, donated Rs 526 crore this year — about Rs 1.4 crore per day. His foundation continues to focus deeply on improving school education and training teachers, especially in government schools across India, where support is often needed the most.

 

Kumar Mangalam Birla and family donated Rs 440 crore, supporting work in education, healthcare and community welfare. Meanwhile, Gautam Adani and his family contributed Rs 386 crore, focusing through the Adani Foundation on education, medical care, and uplifting weaker sections of society. Both business groups continue to expand their social impact steadily.

 

Among women, Rohini Nilekani leads with a donation of Rs 204 crore, which comes to about Rs 56 lakh per day. Through her philanthropic initiatives, she supports water conservation, sustainable community work, governance reforms, and even funding independent media — a field that often struggles for unbiased support.

 

The report highlights a significant rise in structured giving among India’s wealthy. Overall, Indian philanthropists donated Rs 10,380 crore in 2025, which is an 85 per cent increase in the last three years. Education remains the biggest focus area, followed by healthcare and rural development. More high-net-worth individuals than ever before are now donating over Rs 100 crore annually, a figure that was almost unheard of a decade ago.

 

While well-known names like Shiv Nadar, Mukesh Ambani, and Azim Premji continue to lead, the report suggests something deeper — India’s wealthy are developing a more thoughtful and impact-driven approach to philanthropy. This growing culture of giving has the potential to bring long-lasting change in education, healthcare, and social welfare across the country.

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