Bill Gates, whose net worth Bloomberg estimates at $168 billion, recently announced to give away 99% of his personal wealth within the next 20 years, mainly for health, education and agriculture. While the Microsoft co-founder’s stance is vital in addressing global challenges, newer focus areas like climate action, mental health, gender equity are also attracting robust philanthropy push.
Data recorded between 2022 and 2024 from 150 philanthropist members of GivingPi, an exclusive family philanthropy network started in August 2022, and as quoted in Dasra and Bain & Company’s India Philanthropy Report 2025, states 40% of families supported gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion, while 29% support climate action.
GivingPi member community include Abhinav Bindra, founder and trustee, Abhinav Bindra Foundation; Anjali Tendulkar, director & co-founder, The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation; Vasvi Bharat Ram, joint chairperson, The Shri Ram Schools, to name a few.
India has seen visible growth in families’ wealth reflected through a sevenfold growth in family offices from 45 in 2018 to 300 in 2024. This can build momentum towards multi-generational and value-driven philanthropy in areas like climate change, mental health, gender equity, sports, and arts. “For decades, philanthropy focused on health, education, poverty—visible problems with measurable solutions,” said Neera Nundy, co-founder and partner, Dasra, a strategic philanthropy foundation.
“But today’s giving landscape is being reshaped by Indian families, where women, Inter-gen and Now-gen givers, along with an emerging cohort of professionals, are channeling funds into newer focus areas. They’re not just addressing immediate needs but also rewiring the systems that create them, bringing bold bets, entrepreneurial thinking, and a long-term, intentional approach to giving,” added Nundy.
Sectors like renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, and inclusive disaster planning are other areas that urgently need support.
“The 29% funding on climate action remains a drop in the ocean compared to the $2.5 trillion needed by India by 2030 for mitigation and adaptation. In India alone, the social sector faces an annual funding gap of $170 billion. Philanthropy must now move beyond grants, embracing catalytic tools like impact investing and blended finance. The future lies in bold, cross-sector collaborations and taking inspiration from resource-constrained innovation,” said Naina Subberwal Batra, CEO, AVPN, the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 600 funders and resource providers across 33 markets.
As per the India Philanthropy Report 2025, India’s social sector funding has grown at a steady rate of about 13% over the past five years and is estimated to have reached about Rs 25 lakh crore (8.3% of GDP) in FY2024. Public spending grew about 13% annually over the past five years, reaching approximately Rs 23 lakh crore (7.9% of GDP) in FY2024. By FY 2029, it is projected to increase to about Rs 43 lakh crore (9.1% of GDP). Private spending rose 7% from FY 2023 to FY2024, reaching about Rs 131,000 crore. However, private spending is expected to accelerate to 10%-12% growth over the next five years, largely driven by family philanthropy from ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs), high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), and affluent individuals.
Some of the niche areas where families are leveraging their personal and professional influence to drive impact include The Pride Fund (2025), India’s first dedicated LGBTQIA+ philanthropy fund supporting queer-led organisations, backed by the Keshav Suri Foundation (KSF) in Delhi, Godrej Industries Group (GIG) in Mumbai, and Radhika Piramal, executive director of VIP Industries, which has committed an annual Rs 2 crore for the next three years. The fund will provide financial assistance to queer-led non-profits working to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals.
The Anita Dongre Foundation (2015) founded by fashion designer Anita Dongre promotes sustainability, animal welfare and women’s empowerment by supporting rural artisans, advocating for ethical fashion, and funding wildlife conservation through initiatives like REWILD, an annual fashion fund-raiser. Traxcn data states the foundation generated a revenue of Rs 30 lakh for financial year 2022. It also established a medical fund of Rs 1.5 crore in 2020 to support the health needs of self-employed vendors and independent artisans during the Covid pandemic.
Ek Saath—The Earth Foundation (2020), founded by Pragya Kapoor, drives environmental sustainability through awareness and action initiatives, including tree planting, plastic waste reduction, and steps to restore ecosystems and protect wildlife. The Heritage Project (2018) founded by Radha Goenka, director, RPG Foundation, uplifts communities and spaces around heritage sites, fostering awareness and preservation. The Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET), founded by chairperson Neerja Birla, joins as a core member of the Impact Action Council, a strategic collective of leading organisations and philanthropists under the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA), joining 27 global leaders like the Gates Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation to drive meaningful social change. ABET has championed social causes like mental health advocacy, raising awareness, providing counselling, and offering support services to 180 million people across India since 2016 through its Mpower initiative.
Among the top philanthropists, Azim Premji, the founder of Wipro, has donated approximately around Rs 1.76 lakh crore to education, healthcare, ecology, and disaster response through the Azim Premji Foundation. Recently, Premji committed to giving Rs 2,250 crore over three years to help more girls complete their college education. “The basic purpose is to allow girl children to complete their higher education,” said Anurag Behar, chief executive officer of Azim Premji Foundation.
Post-Covid, mental health emerges as a growing need within health, fuelled both by the personal experiences of philanthropists, and also by increased awareness and behaviour change across the masses.
“Urgent crisis areas and natural disasters have immense power to galvanise philanthropic funding. Covid was a recent example of this,” said Aakanksha Gulati, CEO, ACT Capital Foundation, a venture philanthropy platform. As per Gulati, the areas into which philanthropic capital typically flows into is a function of a few factors.
As per Hurun India Philanthropy List for FY24, the top 10 philanthropist donors contributed Rs 4,625 crore, accounting for 53% of total donations by individuals in the list. Shiv Nadar & Family donated Rs 2,153 crore; Mukesh Ambani & Family, Rs 407 crore; Rahul Bajaj & Family donated Rs 352 crore.