Philanthropy : Small Change Can Lead to Big Results

Philanthropy can be broadly defined as love for humankind. It is derived from the Greek words "philos," which means loving and "anthropos," which means humankind. A person who practices philanthropy is called a philanthropist .

The purpose of philanthropy is to improve the wellbeing of humankind by preventing and solving social problems. Philanthropy is not the same as charity. Charity focuses on eliminating the suffering caused by social problems, while philanthropy focuses on eliminating social problems itself.

History of Philanthropy in INDIA-

Philanthropy has a very long tradition in India. All practicing religions embody the idea of philanthropy and the concept of "daan" works across religions and cultures. This book provides unique sociological and empirical perspectives, contrasting what is happening in India vis-á-vis other countries.

It documents various government policies that have influenced philanthropy and identifies successful strategies practiced by the general population as well as organizations.

India has no shortage of billionaires. We added 17 new ones in 2017 alone, taking the count up to 101. During the same year, the wealth of this elite group increased by INR 20,91,300 crore-an amount equal to total budget of Central Government in 2017-18.

Through case studies, narratives and interviews of philanthropists, the book examines various modes of giving—

1-Formal and informal,

2-Religious and secular,

3- charitable trusts and foundations,

4- NGOs and

5- corporates, diaspora as well as social media platforms—that shape the practice and promise of philanthropy in India today.

Is it Growing in India ?

Related Web Sites -

The Chronicle of Philanthropy Web site, at http://philanthropy.com, is an online publication for the Nonprofit world. It offers news, articles and research on a wide range of topics important to charity leaders and philanthropic enterprise.

The Foundation Center Web site, at http://fdncenter.org, provides online searchable databases and research on foundations and their grant application requirements and grant making process. It also contains general research and articles on philanthropy.

The Guidestar Web site, at http://www.guidestar.org, is an online database distributing data on more than 850,000 IRS-recognized nonprofits for researchers, potential donors and the general public.

The E-Philanthropy Foundation Web site, at http://www.fundraising123.org/welcome-ephilanthropy-foundation-website-visitors, offers online education and research resources to assist nonprofits, particularly concerning e-philanthropy and related online ethics.

Top 10 Indian Philanthropists In India -

1- Shiv Nadar (Rs 770 crore) -

Padma Bhushan awardee Shiv Nadar co-founded HCL in 1976 to make calculators and microprocessors, which went on to become a multinational IT company.

Currently, Chairman of HCL, Nadar also runs the Shiv Nadar Foundation that pursues creative philanthropy. Among other things, the foundation supports rural education and provides scholarships for underprivileged students to study abroad. The 74-years-old also founded the SSN College of Engineering in Chennai in 1996 and gifted Rs 1 million worth of HCL shares to the college.

2- Mukesh Ambani (Rs 437 crore) -

The 62-year-old Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries was born into the ultra-rich Ambani family. His father Dhirubhai Ambani founded Reliance Industries in 1966 as a small textile manufacturer, and over the years, the company diversified into businesses across sectors, including textiles, telecommunications, and energy.

Mukhesh Ambani, who was named the richest Asian by Forbes in 2018, has invested in sectors like education, social, rural development, and healthcare through Reliance Foundation which is headed by his wife Nita Ambani.

Established in 2010, it also undertakes activities like urban renewal, and art and culture.

3- Ajay Piramal and family (Rs 200 crore)-

Ajay Piramal chairs Piramal Enterprises, a conglomerate that specialises in pharma, healthcare, and financial services. The group struck its biggest deal in 2010 when Abbott Labs bought Piramal’s pharma arm for $3.8 billion. The group participates in philanthropic activities through the Piramal Foundation, initiating projects in areas of healthcare, education, livelihood creation, and youth empowerment. His wife Swati is vice-chairman and their children Nandini and Anand serve on the board.

4-Azim Premji and family ( Rs 113 crore) -

Seventy-four-year-old tech magnate Azim Hashim Premji is the Chairman of IT company Wipro.

He was listed among the 100 most influential people for two years by TIME so far, he has donated $21 billion to Azim Premji Foundation, an education-focused non-profit he founded in 2001.

5- Adi Godrej and family (86 Crores) -

The 77-year-old businessman chairs Godrej Group and Indian School of Business since April 2011. His company supports the activities of World Wildlife Fund in India. The billionaires’ contribution towards social cause is noteworthy. In fact, 25 percent of the shares of the group is dedicated to its non-profit such as Pirojsha Godrej Foundation, the Soonabai Pirojsha Godrej Foundation, and the Godrej Memorial Trust. The funds are spent on initiatives in education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability.

6- Gautam Adani (Rs 76 crore)-

The 57-year-old Chairman of Adani Group left college and started as a diamond sorter at Mahindra Brothers. Today, the ports tycoon handles various businesses in areas of energy, agriculture, defence, and aerospace.

He is also president of the Adani Foundation, the company’s social responsibility arm founded in 1996. It has established the Adani Vidya Mandir, school for underprivileged children in Ahmedabad, Bhadreshwar, and other states and supports 300 government schools, educating over 100,000 children.

7-Yusuff Ali MA (Rs 70 crore) -

The Kerala-born, UAE gold resident card holder Yusuff Ali is the Managing Director and Chairman of Lulu Group International. The retail business owns over 170 hypermarkets and shopping malls and employs the most number of Indians abroad. A Padma Shree awardee, 63-year-old Ali has generously contributed during natural disasters such as the Gujarat earthquake in 2001, Jammu and Kashmir floods in 2014, and others. The group also works with global philanthropic organisation Dubai Cares and has adopted schools in Gaza and Nepal.

8- Savji Dholakia (Rs 40 crore)-

Savji Dhanji Dholakia is the Founder and Chairman of diamond manufacturing and exporting company Hari Krishna Exports.The 57-year-old joined his uncle in his business after dropping out of school at 13 and went on to founded his own in 1984, with his brothers.The Dholakia Foundation has organised many event to promote sustainable living and in December last year, organised the Samhu Lagna ‘mass marriage’ for around 78 couples.

9- Shapoor Pallonji Mistry and Cyrus Pallonji Mistry (Rs 36 crore) -

Shapoorji Mistry has been the chairman of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group since 2003 and is the single person with most stake in the family conglomerate TATA Group. Cyrus was the Chairman of TATA Group from 2012 to 2016. His firm Cyrus Investments holds 18.4 percent stake in the group.

Notably, 66 percent of TATA Sons is owned by a philanthropic trust called TATA Philanthropic Allied Trusts, which contributes by tackling issues in health, education, and poverty. The company also provides education grants for deserving candidates to study abroad and in India.