Forbes Asia published its annual Heroes of Philanthropy list last week, highlighting 15 Asian-Pacific altruists dedicated to causes ranging from pandemic relief to climate change and education. The complete list is available here and in the December issue of Forbes Asia.
The unranked list focuses on Asia-Pacific philanthropists who are donating significant sums from their personal fortunes as well as giving their time and personal attention to their chosen causes. The majority of the list’s honorees are newcomers, but it also includes some previous honorees who achieved a significant new altruistic milestone that justified relisting.
In 2021, Wipro founder and chairman Azim Premji donated an estimated $1.3 billion of his family’s wealth to social causes through his eponymous foundation. The Azim Premji Foundation, founded in 2001, is dedicated to providing equal access to high-quality education. In 2020, the foundation and Wipro will invest approximately 11 billion rupees ($148 million) in the fight against Covid-19. This year, they increased their commitment by 10 billion rupees, with the promise to provide more if necessary. Premji remains one of the world’s most generous philanthropists, having donated more than $20 billion to date.
On the other hand, Anil Agarwal, Founder and Chairman of the Vedanta Group, received the prestigious Philanthropy Award at the Asian Business Awards 2021 last month. This year, Agarwal was also named to the Forbes list. He received the award in recognition of his humanitarian efforts in the areas of healthcare, education, sanitation, and skill development.
According to Forbes, Agarwal is ranked 63rd among India’s Richest 2021. He has a whopping net worth of USD 4 billion. According to Forbes, he has donated 75% of his fortune to charity. He was named one of the magazine’s “48 Heroes of Philanthropy.”
AAF announced Rs 5,000 crores in July 2021 for the Swasth Gaon Abhiyaan scheme, which focuses on nutrition, sports, women and child development healthcare, and investments in a corona-free village project across various states to combat the pandemic.
