America
Seven Indians on Forbes Asia's list of philanthropists
Washington, Aug 27
Seven Indians feature in
Forbes Asia's ninth annual Heroes of Philanthropy list, highlighting
some of the region's most noteworthy givers from 13 countries across
Asia Pacific.
Among them is Kerela-born entrepreneur Sunny
Varkey, who in June this year pledged at least half his estimated $2.25
billion dollar fortune to charity as part of the Bill Gates and Warren
Buffet-led Giving Pledge initiative.
Besides Dubai-based Varkey, whose GEMS Education runs 70 private schools in 14 countries, the list features six other Indians.
Four
of Infosys's co-founders - Senapathy Gopalakrishnan, Nandan Nilekani,
S.D. Shibulal and Mohandas Pai - feature on the list for their
independent contributions to the fields of health and education.
Their
funding has helped projects which include medical research, education,
children who live in poverty and care for the elderly, Forbes said.
The
fifth Infosys co-founder, NR Narayana Murthy, is represented on the
list by his son Rohan for donating $5.2 million to Harvard University
Press for the promotion of ancient Indian literary classics.
The
other Indians on the list are London-based brothers Suresh and Mahesh
Ramakrishnan, founders of Whitcomb & Shaftesbury tailors on London's
Saville Row.
The brothers have spent nearly $3 million to train more than 4,000 people in tailoring over the past decade in India.
Beneficiaries include fishermen hurt by the 2004 tsunami as well as destitute and abused women.
For
the first time, the list features a philanthropist from Nepal.
Billionaire Binod K. Chaudhary has been supporting rebuilding efforts in
the country ever since the April earthquake.
He has pledged $2.5 million for the rebuilding of homes and schools in the Himalayan nation.