India’s ultra-rich are known for their generous philanthropic overtures, with Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Mindtree co-founder Subroto Bagchi and Gautam Adani making huge contributions. New-age entrepreneurs aren’t far behind, however, with Zerodha’s Nikhil and Nithin Kamath among the top 10 individual givers. In 2022, Nikhil Kamath became the youngest philanthropist on the Edelgive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2022.
The Kamath brothers made annual donations of Rs 100 crore in 2022, a 308 percent increase from last year, according to the Hurun India report. Thirty-six-year old Nikhil Kamath is also the youngest philanthropist on the list. Disaster relief is their cause of choice this year, although the brothers are passionate about climate change and its effect on livelihoods. They have pledged $100 million to the Rainmatter Foundation.
In 2021, the Kamath brothers pledged 25 percent of their wealth to philanthropic causes. “I hope our charitable actions grow from 300 percent to 400 percent in the foreseeable future,” Nikhil Kamath told Outlook Business. “I hope that eventually the clothes people buy or the restaurant they dine in are not chosen based on who has the best marketing strategy but on how conscientious those brands are towards the communities we share.”