How India’s rich are now treating philanthropy like wealth management | Personal Finance

India’s wealthy are no longer treating philanthropy as occasional charity or symbolic cheque-writing. Increasingly, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs) are approaching giving the same way they approach investing: with strategy, portfolio allocation, measurable outcomes and long-term impact.

That shift is now becoming visible in the numbers.

According to data shared by EdelGive Foundation, India had just:

two individuals donating over ₹100 crore annually in 2018.

By 2025, that number had jumped to: 18 philanthropists.

The broader donor ecosystem has also expanded dramatically.

The number of philanthropists featured on the EdelGive-Hurun Philanthropy List rose from:

27 in 2017 to 192 in FY2025, with each donating over ₹5 crore annually.

It appears, India’s rich are increasingly viewing philanthropy as a form of strategic capital deployment.

 As philanthropy in India continues to grow steadily, what structural shifts are you seeing in ow HNIs and UHNIs approach giving?

There has been a significant increase in private philanthropy over the past decade in India, but the Covid-19 pandemic brought about a critical shift in how people give, and how much they give. 

In 2020 alone:

107 donors on the EdelGive-Hurun Philanthropy List collectively donated:

₹11,984 crore,

with average donations touching:

₹107 crore.

“The number of donors have gone up to 192 in 2025, from 27 who made it to the list in 2017. In 2023, this number was 119, and in 2024, 203. This number shows a pattern – more HNIs and UHNIs have started looking at philanthropy as a valuable asset and have started their funding journeys in the social sector,” said Mulla. 

What is changing most is not just how much wealthy Indians are giving — but how they are giving.

Traditionally, philanthropy often revolved around:

• 
  visible donations,
• 
  institution-building,
• 
  hospitals,
• 
  temples,
• 
  or scholarships.

Now, wealthy donors are increasingly demanding:

• 
  measurable outcomes,
• 
  ecosystem-level impact,
• 
  structured reporting,
• 
  and strategic allocation models.

In other words:

 philanthropy is beginning to resemble wealth management.

Mulla says many donors now approach giving similarly to investment portfolios.

Instead of concentrating money in a single visible cause, philanthropists are increasingly diversifying allocations across:

• 
  high-visibility projects,
• 
  experimental initiatives,
• 
  grassroots organisations,
• 
  and long-term systemic interventions.

She described it as:

 “portfolio construction” rather than simple cheque-writing

One of the clearest examples of this shift emerged during Covid through the: ₹100 crore GROW Fund.

The collaborative philanthropic vehicle attracted:

37 funders, including several HNIs who had never previously participated in structured philanthropic funds.

Unlike traditional philanthropy where wealthy donors often directly choose causes, the GROW Fund operated more like an institutional investment platform.

Funders could participate through structured contribution slabs such as:

$100,000,

$500,000,

or $1 million.

But importantly: all funders were treated equally regardless of cheque size.

“The GROW Fund was an ecosystem strengthening fund which helped hyper-local non-profits that are crucial to reaching communities directly, invest in their infrastructure and growth. So investing in these  requires critical understanding of how the philanthropy delivery system works and a willingness to improve and strengthen it,” said Mulla.

They:

• 
  reviewed impact reports together,
• 
  joined the same decision-making discussions,
• 
  and collectively evaluated outcomes.

That model reflects a major behavioural change among India’s wealthy.

Rather than simply donating money, many HNIs now want to:

• 
  understand deployment,
• 
  monitor impact,
• 
  strengthen delivery systems,
• 
  and improve long-term outcomes.

Another major shift is where the money is flowing.

While:

education,

healthcare,

and poverty alleviation

remain dominant philanthropic sectors, newer areas are rapidly attracting wealthy donors.

Funding toward: art and culture rose 166%, while environment, climate, and sustainability initiatives saw 121% growth in FY25, led by the likes of Reliance Foundation and the Kamath brothers.

The trend suggests India’s wealthy are becoming more sophisticated about:

climate risk,

sustainability,

cultural preservation,

and social infrastructure gaps.

Are philanthropic structures in India evolving fast enough to match the ambitions of modern HNI donors?

“Most givers now have realised that funding immediate distress relief is as important as creating and strengthening systems that have the power to alleviate these stresses systemically. For that, I always suggest a portfolio approach to philanthropy. Much like a smart investment portfolio doesn’t focus only on large-cap or mid-cap investments, philanthropy too needs a balanced blend. You need some safe, visible bets, some experimental plays, and some investments that may feel unfamiliar but could create entirely new pathways for impact,” explains Mulla.

Ideally, portfolios should carry a mix:

• 
  20% in high-visibility initiatives that build momentum and public confidence,
• 
  30% in emerging or unconventional ideas that push the sector forward,
• 
  another 20% in work most people may never have heard of before — grassroots, early- stage, deeply local efforts that often hold the seeds of long-term transformation.

Mulla noted that wealthy donors today are far more comfortable funding:

organisational capacity building,

staff salaries,

systems strengthening,

technology,

and operational infrastructure,

areas that were previously difficult to raise money for.

A decade ago, convincing a donor to fund NGO salaries or backend infrastructure was often challenging because such expenses lacked visible branding or emotional appeal.

That mindset is changing.

Today’s donors increasingly understand that:

 long-term social impact often depends less on headline projects and more on strengthening institutions and delivery systems.

Interestingly, data also shows that India’s biggest givers are not always its richest.

According to EdelGive Foundation:

affluent individuals and HNIs with wealth between:

₹200 crore and ₹1,000 crore

show a higher “propensity to give” relative to their net worth compared to ultra-rich billionaires.

While UHNIs contribute larger absolute sums:

affluent HNIs reportedly donate nearly:

0.7% of their net worth,

compared to:

roughly 0.1% among UHNIs.

That suggests philanthropy in India is broadening beyond legacy billionaire families toward:

• 
  first-generation entrepreneurs,
• 
  startup founders,
• 
  professionals,
• 
  and self-made wealth creators.

In fact:

the number of self-made philanthropists rose to:

101 in 2025,

up from:

65 in 2023.

The evolution mirrors broader changes taking place in India’s wealth landscape itself.

As wealth creation accelerates through:

• 
  startups,
• 
  financial markets,
• 
  technology,
• 
  manufacturing,
• 
  and global businesses,

a younger generation of wealthy Indians is emerging with different attitudes toward:

legacy,

social responsibility,

and capital allocation.

he bigger story, however, may be psychological.

India’s wealthy are no longer just asking:

 “How much should we give?”

Increasingly, they are asking:

 “How can capital create compounding social returns?”

And that shift may fundamentally reshape the future of philanthropy in India.