Azim Premji has donated ₹22 crore/day; emerges as most generous Indian

With a donation of ₹7,904 crore, Azim Premji, the founder-chairman of Wipro, topped the list of philanthropists in India for 2020. He donated ₹22 crore per day. "On 1 April, Azim Premji Foundation, Wipro, and Wipro Enterprises have committed ₹1,125 crore towards tackling the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. These are in addition to the annual CSR activities of Wipro, and the usual philanthropic spending of the Azim Premji Foundation," according to EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020.

“Azim Premji is a role model for Indian philanthropy and is continuing to inspire other entrepreneurs into giving”, said Anas Rahman Junaid, managing director and chief researcher, Hurun India.

HCL Technologies' Shiv Nadar came second in the list. Nadar donated ₹795 crore for charitable causes. Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd and Asia’s richest man, maintained the third spot by donating ₹458 crore. "On 30 March 2020, Reliance Industries announced a donation of ₹500 crore to the PM CARES Fund and ₹5 crore each to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund of Maharashtra and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund of Gujarat to support their fights against the COVID-19," the report said.

With a donation of ₹276 crore, Kumar Mangalam Birla & family ranked fourth in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. The fifth position was occupied by the founder and chairman of Vedanta, Anil Agarwal & family who donated ₹215 crore. In September 2014, Anil Agarwal pledges 75% of his wealth to charity, according to report.

Hurun India and EdelGive on Tuesday released the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. "EdelGive Foundation has partnered with Hurun India towards creating this report to understand philanthropic giving in the country from a data and evidence point of view," Hurun India said. Donations were measured by the value of their cash or cash equivalents from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020.

“Binny Bansal is the first philanthropist under the age of 40 to enter the philanthropy list,” said chief researcher Hurun India. At least 21 individuals in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020 has donated ₹5 crore or more in their personal capacity. “One of the core objectives of Edelgive Hurun India Philanthropy List is to speak more stories about philanthropists who have donated on their personal capacity," he added.

"The preferred cause of India’s top philanthropists has been education, although poverty alleviation has grown dramatically to become the second most popular cause this year," managing director, Hurun India mentioned.