Forbes has released its 17th annual list of philanthropists who have given generously and demonstrated commitment to causes of their choice over the past year. The unranked list shows names from the Asia-Pacific region.
The Forbes Asia list recognizes individuals who donate from personal funds, showing their commitment to various causes, and three Indians – KP Singh of DLF, Nandan Nilekani of Infosys and Nikhil Kamat of Zerodha made the list this year.
Here’s a look at the three Indian names that grace the list:
KP Singh: The chairman emeritus of DLF, made headlines after selling his remaining direct stake in the Delhi-based property developer, fetching $89 million. The proceeds fund philanthropic causes, supporting the KP Singh Foundation established in 2020, according to Forbes.
At 92, Singh, with an estimated fortune of $14 billion, was a driving force behind the success of DLF and the transformation of Gurgaon into a technology hub, it added.
Nandan Nilekani: The Infosys co-founder and chairman, recently donated $38 million to IIT Bombay, marking his 50-year association with the institution. His philanthropic contributions, in total ₹400 crore to the institute since 1999, includes support for educational initiatives such as EkStep Foundation and AI4Bharat, according to Forbes.
With an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion, Nilekani continues to champion educational causes close to his heart, it added. Nilekani and his wife, Rohini, signed the Giving Pledge in 2017.
Nikhil Kamath: Zerodha’s co-founder and chief financial officer joined the Giving Pledge in June. He is the fourth signee from India. The others are Nandan Nilekani and Rohini Nilekani (2017), Azim Premji of Wipro (2013), and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon (2016).
Kamath has pledged to address climate change, energy, education and health disparities, according to Forbes. At 37, Kamath, who is India’s youngest billionaire, is a newcomer to this list.
With an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion, he has actively engaged in philanthropy through his YouTube podcast series, “WTF is,” donating up to $120,000 to charities chosen by his audience. He aims to increase this contribution to ₹4 crores striving to create a fairer society.
Other recognized philanthropists
Others on the list include Takemitsu Takizaki of Keyence (Japan), who donated $2.6 billion to his foundation; Fortescue Metals Group’s Andrew Forrest and wife Nicola Forrest who gave $3.3 billion to their Minderoo Foundation; Midea Group founder He Xiangjian ho pledged 410 million dollars for scientific research in China; and Li Ka-Shing of Hong Kong who donated $7.7 million to AI in medical training and research.
Billionaire Low Tuck Kwong gave $73 million to Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy through his foundation (Indonesia); Adrian Cheng of New World Development founded a foundation supporting children’s mental health (Hong Kong); and James Packer who donated to the University of New South Wales for mental health research (Australia).
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Updated: 30 Nov 2023, 12:59 IST
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