₹2,700 crore donated! Not the Ambani family, Tatas or Adanis, this man is India’s biggest philanthropist

HCL Technologies founder Shiv Nadar and his family ranked #1 on EdelGive and Hurun Philanthropy List 2025 by donating. ₹2,708 crore on an annual basis, according to a report.

Shiv Nadar and his family donated as per EdelGive and Hurun Charity List ₹7.4 crore per day earned him the title of ‘India’s Most Generous’ this year. This is the fourth consecutive year that the 80-year-old HCL Tech boss has topped the philanthropy list, showing his commitment to helping those in need.

The list also reveals the HCL Tech founder’s cumulative donations in the last five years ₹10,122 crore. Most of his donations went to the education front.

Its donations in FY25 increased by 26% compared to FY24. Shiv Nadar continued to expand his philanthropic efforts through the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which he founded in 1994.

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Their donations focus on education, arts and culture; this includes establishing institutions like Shiv Nadar University and VidyaGyan, increasing opportunities for young minds in India.

How much did Mukesh Amabani and Gautam Adani donate?

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani made an impressive donation, making him the second most philanthropic person on the list. ₹626 crore in FY25, according to EdelGive Hurun Charity list. This represents a 54% increase in donations compared to the previous year.

The Ambani family has donated primarily through the Reliance Foundation, whose current focus areas include rural transformation, healthcare, education, sports development, disaster management, women empowerment, arts and culture, heritage conservation and urban renewal.

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Meanwhile, Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani has been ranked fifth in the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List.

63-year-old industrialist donated ₹386 crore towards philanthropy in FY25 represents a 17% year-on-year increase. Adani Group chairman donated in the last five years ₹1,408 crore in total, focusing mainly on education through the Adani Foundation.

While the largest donation was received from the field of education, this was followed by work on skill development and community health programs.

EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List: Top 10 leaders

According to the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025, the top 10 donors to various areas in FY25 are:

Row 1: Shiv Nadar and family; donation – ₹2,708 crore.

Row 2: Mukesh Ambani and family; donation – ₹626 crore.

Rank 3: Bajaj family; donation – ₹446 crore.

Row 4: Kumar Mangalam Birla and family; donation – ₹440 crore.

Row 5: Gautam Adani and family; donation – ₹386 crore.

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6th Row: Nandan Nilekani; donation – ₹365 crore.

Row 7: Hinduja family; donation – ₹298 crore.

Row 8: Rohini Nilekani; donation – ₹204 crore.

Row 9: Sudhir Mehta and Samir Mehta; donation – ₹189 crore.

Row 10: Cyrus S. Poonawalla and Adar Poonawalla; donation – ₹173 crore.

Key Takeaways

Shiv Nadar tops EdelGive and Hurun Philanthropy List with record donations, emphasizing the importance of education.
The increase in charitable donations among leading industrialists is indicative of a growing trend in social responsibility.
The focus of major donations is shifting towards education, health and social development.