Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025: Rohini Nilekani named India’s most generous woman with ₹204 crore donation
India’s leading philanthropist and author Rohini Nilekani has once again shown that wealth, when purposefully directed, can be a force for change. The chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and director of EkStep has topped the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025, earning the title of the country’s Most Generous Woman of the Year.
Released by Hurun India in partnership with the EdelGive Foundation, the 12th annual list highlights India’s most charitable individuals and how the nation’s richest are giving back to society.
This year, Nilekani donated ₹204 crore, supporting causes centred on social innovation and systemic transformation. Over the past five years, her cumulative donations have reached ₹763 crore, placing her among India’s most impactful philanthropists. Known for her belief in inclusive growth, Nilekani has channelled her philanthropy toward causes such as gender equity, education, climate resilience, justice, governance, and strengthening civil society—areas she considers essential for lasting progress.
Her story, however, began far from the world of billionaires. Born into a middle-class family in Mumbai, Rohini Nilekani graduated in French Literature from Elphinstone College before beginning her career as a journalist. She worked with publications such as the now-defunct Bombay Magazine and Sunday Magazine, where she developed a reputation as a thoughtful and socially aware writer. Her creative side flourished through her books as well. Her debut novel Stillborn, a medical thriller, received widespread acclaim, followed by Uncommon Ground, a non-fiction work inspired by her experiences as an anchor. She also authored the children’s book The Hungry Little Sky Monster and Samaj, Sarkar, Bazar, a collection of essays, interviews, and speeches reflecting on society over more than a decade.
According to Forbes, Nilekani’s philanthropic journey officially began in 2001 when she founded Arghyam, an organisation devoted to water and sanitation, with a personal endowment of ₹150 crore. Over time, her efforts expanded to address a wider range of development and governance challenges in India. Alongside her husband Nandan Nilekani, co-founder and non-executive chairman of Infosys, she has supported several institutions and initiatives.
The couple donated ₹50 crore to the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) to advance ecological and developmental research, and another ₹50 crore to the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) in 2013 to establish a new India Centre in New Delhi.
During the same period, Rohini Nilekani divested 5.77 lakh Infosys shares valued at ₹164 crore, directing the proceeds entirely toward philanthropy. Following that, she and Nandan Nilekani made a ₹100 crore donation to Bengaluru’s NIMHANS to “support and accelerate research and treatment in five major areas of mental health,” reported The Indian Express.
