With a donation of Rs 2,153 crore, HCL Technologies founder Shiv Nadar and family have retained their position as the top donor in India on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2024. Their donations were primarily directed in the area of education. Following them among the top five donors are Mukesh Ambani and family, the Bajaj family, Kumar Mangalam Birla and family, and Gautam Adani and family. Together, these philanthropists contributed roughly 53 per cent — roughly Rs 4,625 crore — of total contributions in India this year.

The report, compiled by Hurun Research, also shows an increase in high-value donations, with 18 philanthropists donating over Rs 100 crore each – up from only two in 2018. Among them, Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha, at 38, is noted as the youngest with a donation exceeding Rs 100 crore. Rohini Nilekani, contributing Rs 154 crore, stands out as the most generous woman on the list.

Top 10 Donors in the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2024

• Shiv Nadar & Family – Rs 2,153 crore – Education
• Mukesh Ambani & Family – Rs 407 crore – Admission for disadvantaged communities
• Bajaj Family – Rs 352 crore – Education for Engineering
• Kumar Mangalam Birla & Family – Rs 334 crore – Education
• Gautam Adani & Family – Rs 330 crore – Education for remote villages
• Nandan Nilekani – Rs 307 crore – Ecosystem Building
• Krishna Chivukula – Rs 228 crore – Education
• Anil Agarwal & Family – Rs 181 crore – Education
• Susmita & Subroto Bagchi – Rs 179 crore – Public Healthcare
• Rohini Nilekani – Rs 154 crore – Ecosystem Building

The number of philanthropists donating over Rs 50 crore increased by 125 per cent since 2019, while those donating over Rs 20 crore have risen by 128 per cent during the same period, according to the list.

In terms of philanthropic approaches, 91 of the entrants carry out their CSR spending through associations with NGOs, while 113 have established their foundations to manage their philanthropic contributions. This year saw 96 new additions to the list, with their total donations amounting to Rs 1,556 crore. The list also features 21 women philanthropists.

The number of philanthropists who have donated more than Rs 10 crore increased by 48 per cent over the past five years, from 80 to 117. Education remains the most favoured cause, with 123 philanthropists cumulatively donating Rs 3,680 crore towards it. The number of self-made philanthropists have also surged to 109 this year, a marked increase of 43 from the previous year.