Forbes Asia today announced its 'Heroes of
Philanthropy' list for the fourth year running, with four Indians among the top
48 philanthropists.
Giving poor children access to education is a top priority for Indian philanthropists, said Forbes.
Billionaire Shiv Nadar of HCL Technologies takes the brightest children from the poorest villages of rural India and sends them to boarding school, noted Forbes.
Another tycoon, India's biggest philanthropist Azim Premji of Wipro, transferred nearly USD 2 billion of his wealth last December to an irrevocable trust that focuses on education and children's health and nutrition.
Infrastructure-based GMR Group founder Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, 61, pledged USD 340 million in March, his 12.5 per cent personal stake in the business and one-eighth of his family's share, through an irrevocable endowment to the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation. It works primarily to educate and train poor youths in 20 locations in India and two in Nepal. Rao started his philanthropy early in career, when he ran a small business and built a school in his village.
Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi leverages on his star power to give back through his foundation. The 34-year old has donated USD 3 million to date and helped raise USD 25 million to support education, health and disaster relief.
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