News Americas, SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2021: — Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, released today their list recognizing one hundred Indian and diaspora leaders who are making a difference through their giving.
“It is incredibly inspiring to see so many philanthropists from our community who have translated their success into social impact,” said Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami. “These leaders serve as an example of the importance of generosity and remind us of the many issues that need our attention.”
With guidance from nine jurors and drawing from multiple sources, including reputed studies, earlier verified lists, and publicly shared documents, Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List recognizes Indian and diaspora leaders across the globe for their philanthropic contributions and engagement.
“It was very gratifying to be a part of this effort, and I appreciated the careful consideration given to each honoree by those who were involved,” said Sara Kalim, Director of Development at Somerville College and one of the jurors. “As someone who works in the development space, I see firsthand how philanthropy can transform lives for the better. This list shines a light on the tremendous power of giving.”
With more than 32 million people of Indian origin globally, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the largest diaspora population in the world. Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List includes philanthropists from India and from geographies with significant diaspora migration, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Australia. Several of these philanthropists stepped forward to give during the COVID-19 crisis.
“COVID-19 taught us that businesses, nonprofits, government, and philanthropy all play a critical role in lifting the communities they serve and operate in during times of crisis,” said Prem Watsa, Founder and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings and one of the honorees on the List. “Indiaspora’s Philanthropy Leaders List serves as a reminder to the diaspora to continue the important work of giving even once the crisis abates so our communities can meet future challenges.”
The List includes names from various industries including technology, entertainment, finance, and the law, among others, who are using their philanthropy to address issues such as access to healthcare, quality education, water and sanitation, arts and culture, food insecurity, and employability.
“I hope the diaspora will continue to give forward, and even more boldly,” said Rohini Nilekani, Founder-Chairperson of sustainable water and sanitation nonprofit Arghyam, who is also an honoree on the List. “It is both inspiring and critical to resolve many old and emerging societal challenges in India.”
Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List is one of several of the organization’s philanthropy-focused initiatives. Other initiatives include ChaloGive, an online giving campaign that raised more than $3.5M in 2021 to provide COVID relief in India, and the Philanthropy Summit, an annual event that brings together nonprofits, foundations, philanthropists, and others in the social impact space to share learnings regarding Indian and diaspora philanthropy.
“This is a transformative moment for philanthropy,” said Ashish Shah, Senior Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement at Indiaspora. “The purpose of our philanthropy work is to galvanize the Indian diaspora to elevate its level of giving in the next decade, and Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List is an important step towards building a culture of philanthropy.”
For the list of honorees and additional resources, including additional quotes, information and news about the honorees, please visit the 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List website.
More on the Indiaspora Lists
The Indiaspora Lists (lists.indiaspora.org) highlight the advances of the Indian diaspora in areas such as government, business, and philanthropy.
Indiaspora’s inaugural Business Leaders List (July 2020), highlights the Indian diaspora who are leading the largest global companies and the Government Leaders List (February 2021) highlights over 200 government leaders of Indian heritage from 15 countries around the globe.
Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit community of powerful global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for positive impact by providing a platform to collaborate, engage, and catalyze social change.
